CASE STUDY Leap of faith

As MD for CK Academy Georgina Jupp spearheaded an innovative exercise referral programme with local GPs which is now set to be rolled out across the UK.

CK Academy has something of a concern… we will not have sufficient well qualified enthusiastic fitness professionals ready to respond to the challenge which we firmly believe is now upon us!

Maybe I should start by explaining that for the last four years we have been quietly improving the delivery and evaluating the results of our primary care lifestyle modification programme taking place in surgeries in Essex. A programme that came to light for local GPs when patients began to hear of friends and family members who were on incapacity benefit and taking part in a lifestyle programme delivered via Pathways to Work and wanting to know how they too might take part. As awareness increased around the enjoyment and effectiveness of the service, so demand was fuelled for greater accessibility and with a focus on

specific long term conditions, including CVD, Diabetes, obesity, mental health and musculoskeletal conditions, all escalating at alarming rates.

As widely respected Central YMCA training providers with many years programming experience we were ideally placed. We completely understand the need for highly accredited qualifications for our staff, the skills required to assess and interpret patient records, motivate often intimidated, out-of-condition individuals and build relationships with healthcare practitioners, many of whom had either no or bad experiences of working with our industry.

We have recently completed our latest contract to deliver to 600 patients locally with a range of long term conditions and are now awaiting confirmation of the expansion of the service across the region.

I firmly believe we are on the brink of some new and exciting opportunities that require a different way of thinking for our industry. It will mean routinely getting out from the clubs and centres we inhabit, forging real and effective partnerships in the community, adequate ongoing investment in our fitness staff and encouraging the best, most

dedicated staff to lead the way ahead.

This exciting new world is not without its frustrations – many enough to stop the most dedicated amongst us persevering. It is fraught with a one step forward two step back approach, decisions that often appear to bear no relation to broader agendas, no two regions even if they are side by side having the same health priorities, a completely different culture focusing on treatment of the sick (whatever they might say) and not the real and pressing issues of prevention and a long standing cynicism for us that at times is hard to swallow!

However, I also believe this may just be the catalyst required for the best fitness staff to stand up and be counted, to encourage those with a wealth of invaluable experience and qualifications to stay working alongside people and doing what they do best with a salary worthy of dedication and commitment to personal development and learning.

Equally if this doesn’t rock your particular boat you can of course continue along the well trodden path as we currently know it – I am sure it has a few years left in it yet! The bar is most definitely being raised and although these changes will not happen overnight my experience is that they ARE ON THEIR WAY!

CK Academy will be looking to roll this programme out over the coming year…so we would love to hear from you!

THE AUTHOR Georgina is MD of CK

Academy and 1greatLife highly respected industry training providers, consultants and

programme deliverers to the fitness and health sector. Georgina has over 20 years experience working in both the private and public sector with clients including the NHS, Jobcentre Plus, Probation Service, corporate clients and of course the fitness industry.

“We are on the brink of some new and exciting opportunities that require a different way of thinking for our industry”

16 The REPs Journal 2009;14(Sept):15-16