TALKBACK everyone’s talking about . . .
Level 4s... I
t was proven before the launch of Level 4s that there was a need for more weighty qualifi cations that would give instructors the
knowledge, and confi dence, to work with clients with chronic conditions. Level 4s are also more likely to
encourage GPs to make referrals, as it’s at this level of qualification that the fitness instructor takes on liability for the patient from the GP. If we want to build closer links with the medical community, this is a vital step to take. And yet the fitness sector has been
slow to embrace Level 4. One industry expert I spoke to, off the record, even questioned the need for them altogether.
jean-ann marnoch reps • registrar
“I
think the Level 4 categories are very much needed in the industry
if we’re to be one of the solutions in the management of disease: we all know that many diseases respond well to structured exercise. Level 4 is the fastest growing area on the REPs register, with 1,200 instructors now registered at this level. Many of these have gone on to work in
clinical settings and in exercise referral schemes within clubs. Level 4s were introduced in response to clear evidence
that they were needed: in many cases, specialist programmes were already being provided to work with patients with medical conditions, and there was a need to formalise these qualifications. SkillsActive therefore developed the Level 4 standards to ensure that exercise programmes being delivered for the prevention, treatment or management of long-term conditions were safe and effective. My experience of sitting on the Joint Consultative Forum is
that representatives of the Royal Medical Colleges are happy with the standards at Level 3 Exercise Referral and Level 4 specialist conditions and would feel confident in referring to instructors with the relevant category on REPs.
” 28
kath hudson • journalist • health club management
What’s the future for Level 4s? Are they worthy qualifications capable of courting the medical community? Or are they too expensive and surplus to requirements?
There are currently 10 Level 4
courses covering exercise prescription for falls prevention, respiratory diseases, cancer, lower back pain, cardiac disease, accelerated post-illness or injury rehab, stroke, obesity and diabetes, mental heath and neurological conditions. However, it has taken a long time for training providers to emerge in all of these areas; more are still needed. One of the problems for training
providers is that, due to higher risk and assessment costs, Level 4s are very costly to run compared to Level 3s. As Level 4s represent such a big
progression from Level 3, another issue has been the number of candidates
enrolling with insuffi cient background knowledge. This puts training providers in a diffi cult situation: do they refuse entry, accept students knowing they will probably have to fail them, or do they try to train them up, which makes the course overly long and expensive? SkillsActive has now put a fi lter in
place, allowing only those with Level 3 Exercise Referral to progress to Level 4. Students will now enter Level 4 with a broad knowledge of illnesses – vital, as people never present with just one issue. The ultimate aim of Level 4 is for GPs
to be confi dent to refer on to the fi tness industry and pass on liability. How close are we to that goal? We ask the experts.
WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP FOR LEVEL 4? EMAIL US:
HEALTHCLUB@LEISUREMEDIA.COM
debbie lawrence fitness wales • director
professionals working in specialist areas – or aiming to do so – to update their CPD, moving from a vocational to an academic level. The qualifications are upskilling the industry and creating new career paths. We were the first organisation to run a mental health Level 4, and consulted with
“I
organisations such as Mind, Journeys, MDF and Gofal, all of which were keen to see the development of this qualification. We also run a Level 4 in lower back pain and are about to launch obesity and diabetes and neurological courses. These are a big step up from Level 3, moving away from assessment via multiple choice to essay-writing, research and producing fact sheets. We also teach soft skills: performing as part of a multi-disciplinary team, giving feedback and gathering information. The first few candidates have completed the mental health qualification and are working in hospital-based physio teams and mental health settings. I think, as Level 4 becomes more established and mapped to
the QCF and other national frameworks, some aspects could become a generic unit – behaviour change, for example – so instructors don’t have to keep repeating the same areas.
” Read Health Club Management online
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital september 2011 © cybertrek 2011
think Level 4s offer a great opportunity for exercise
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