National Exercise Referral Scheme wins national accolade
15 March 2011
Thousands of people across Wales who are at risk of chronic disease are benefiting from a national scheme which is improving their physical and mental health by increasing their participation in physical activity.
The National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS) is a Welsh Assembly Government funded scheme hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA).
It has won the ‘Public Health Wales Good Practice national quality mark’ for its contribution to improving public health in Wales. It is the first time this award has been given to a physical activity programme.
Collecting the award, the NERS coordinator for Wales, Jeannie -Wyatt Williams said:
“I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of every NERS local coordinator. It is recognition of just how far we have come as a Scheme since our first referrals in July 2007. Today, every local authority area and local health board has a dedicated local coordinator and team of professionally trained exercise professionals. They are committed to improving the physical and mental health of clients at high risk of chronic disease by prescribing suitable activity to improve their health and wellbeing.
The Scheme is hugely rewarding and is already changing the life-chances of hundreds of people across Wales. We encourage anyone who thinks that they would benefit from the Scheme to get in touch with their local GP or local coordinator.”
NERS has been developed over the last four years to standardise exercise referral opportunities across all 22 Local Authorities and targets clients who are at risk of developing chronic disease. It provides an opportunity for people, irrespective of where they live in Wales, to access a standardised, high-quality and supervised 16 week exercise programme, with the aim of encouraging long-term adherence in physical activity to improve their health and wellbeing.
Local exercise professionals work with clients with a history of several chronic illnesses including; cardiac disease, respiratory disease, lung disease, strokes, back problems and postural stability (including falls prevention). Programmes are also being developed for higher risk patients with other chronic diseases such as mental health and cancer.
For more information about the Scheme or for a list of the local coordinators visit: http://www.wlga.gov.uk/english/national-exercise-referral-scheme/
Notes to Editor
• The WLGA appointed a NERS Coordinator in August 2008. The national coordinator’s role is to monitor the day to day running of the scheme; mentor and support the coordinators and exercise professionals across Wales to improve and develop their schemes performance; commission training and develop standard protocols for each of these chronic conditions based on best practice from across the UK.
• All exercise professionals operating the Scheme are trained to NVQ level 3, have a qualification that meets occupational standard D449 working with referred patients and are appropriately insured. All protocols went through ethical approval, and the British Medical Association in Wales was consulted as part of the development of the Scheme.
• The Scheme was developed by the Welsh Assembly Government following a study by the Cardiff Institute of Society, Health and Ethics, Cardiff University in partnership with the North Wales Clinical School, Cardiff University and the Institute of Medical and Social Care Research, Bangor University.
• The study adopted a randomised controlled trial design and aimed to investigate whether self-reported physical activity (as well as depression and anxiety) at 12 months is different among those patients receiving an exercise referral programme compared to those receiving usual GP care. It also investigated the cost-effectiveness of the Scheme.
• The study was reviewed by the Thames Valley Multi-centre Research Ethics Committee (reference: 06/MRE12/85) and received ethical clearance on 8 February 2007.
• The patients follow a 16 week intervention course