HealtH Matters 89
HealtH & well-beinG
through Primary Care is crucial as the GP
is a powerful source of health information
What people who have
for up to 75 per cent of the population
(slaN 1999). Health Professionals can
completed the programme
recommend patients ask their GP to refer
have to say:
them to the programme if they feel it will
be of benefit to them. “I would never have thought of
joining a gym. I had a completely
hOw the pathway wOrks
different perception of one. I took
A registered GP identifies that one of his/
her patients would benefit from exercise
to the gym like a duck to water.”
but may need a little more support. the
GP then establishes that their patient
“I am amazed at the progress
meets the inclusion criteria (low to I am making with the cardio-
moderate; back pain, stress, osteoporosis,
vascular machines. I love the
arthritis, diabetes, overweight,
stretch and tone exercises.”
hypertension, depression, hyperlipidemia,
asthma) for the programme. On securing
the patient’s consent to attend the
“I learned to swim with
programme, completed referral forms are
confidence at 50 with the help
sent to the patient’s chosen leisure facility. and encouragement of the
Once the coordinator in the leisure facility
dedicated staff.”
receives the referral form, they will then
contact the patient to arrange an initial
assessment. at the initial assessment, the each individual. Patients can become inform the GP of the patient’s progress on
coordinator will carry out the necessary involved in other activities whilst on the the programme.
screening procedures and will show the programme in addition to their programme. The GP referral pathway offers the choice
client around the facility. they will then the patient’s progress is reviewed by the of a variety of ways to get active so referred
design a programme to meet the patient’s coordinator at six and 12 weeks. Once the patients can find activities that they enjoy.
individual needs. programme has been completed, a report each patient is also provided with one-to-
the programme lasts for 12 weeks for is sent to the GP from the coordinator to one professional support along the way.
this means that if they have tried to be
active before but have not been successful
or if they have an underlying medical
natiOnal training cOurse condition, they have a suitable qualified
instructor to advise them.
The annual GP Exercise Referral National Training Course was launched in 2007 and is In order to prove the National GP
currently recruiting for candidates for the 2010 course. the course has been developed exercise referral Programme is both
as a vocational training course that leads to the delivery of a structured pathway in clinically effective and cost effective,
partnership with the HSE Health Promotion department and the Irish College of General an action-research approach has been
Practitioners (ICGP). The Irish course encompasses behaviour change techniques, adopted. the use of a web-based database
clinical theory and managerial skills and links directly into the Hse-IlaM (Institute of enables accurate data collection across all
leisure and amenity Management) national pathway. delivering facilities. Individual patient data
the delivery of the course is overseen by IlaM and agreed with a national steering is collected across the 12-week exercise
group who has representatives from the HSE, Irish College of General Practitioners referral programme and is evaluated at six,
(ICGP), Exercise & Sports Science Association of Ireland (ESSAI), and Recreation 12 and 24 months. this not only provides
education Forum (reF). the training course provides instructors with the specialist individual progress reports for the patient
training they need to help physically inactive adults and those with chronic disease and GP, but also looks at the programme
become more active. Upon completion of the training course, the instructor is awarded as a whole in order to actively develop the
a certificate in GP Exercise Referral. programme.
the National programme is being delivered in facilities across Ireland and as more For further information on this programme
instructors complete the National training course, more and more patients are and a list of the leisure facilities offering
accessing the pathway. the programme, please visit www.
gpexercisereferral.ie.
HM Iss6.1 p71-128.indd 89 12/03/2010 15:26:37
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