Exercise Referral

The Exercise Referral Scheme is a partnership between North West Leicestershire District Council, Active Together, Leicestershire Public Health, local councils, G.P Practices and other Health Care Professionals. 

It offers people 16+ who are inactive (less than 30 minutes of activity per week) and have a stable long-term physical or mental health condition access to appropriate physical activity. The scheme lasts for 12 weeks and gives individuals the opportunity to participate in exercise:

• At a concession price for 12 weeks

• At a convenient venue in the local community

• Under the guidance of qualified exercise professionals

People need encouragement and support to help them to make the first steps to becoming more active on a regular basis, and this is what the Exercise Referral Scheme is all about.

Each centre provides varying levels of support and supervision to those referred to the scheme. There is a cost to these activities.

The exercise referral process

Referral can be via a healthcare practitioner or through self referral.

A member of the health and wellbeing team will triage each referral to ensure that they are safe to undertake physical activity. In October 2021, The Physical Activity Risk Consensus Group concluded that physical activity is considered safe for most people. Evidence does not support routine preparticipation medical clearance for people with stable LTCs if they build up gradually from their current level. The need for medical guidance, as opposed to clearance, should be determined by individuals with specific concerns about active symptoms.

A member of the team will support the referral through 12 weeks of physical activity by prescribing a physical activity regime with regular reviews throughout the 12 weeks.  

The Everyone Active Centres (Whitwick & Coalville & Ashby LC) provide 2 sessions per week of manned exercise referral gym sessions. Within these sessions participants are encouraged to attend at these times to access support. They offer discounts to exercise referral users. These centres offer gym use, swimming, fitness classes and a health suite.

Measham Leisure Centre offer 1 session per week of manned gym sessions where the instructor will provide an induction and personalised training programme. They also offer discounted access to exercise referral users. This centre offers gym usage and fitness classes.

Ibstock Leisure Complex currently offer discounts to exercise referral users but doesn’t have any supported sessions. This facility offers gym usage, swimming and fitness classes.

For further information please contact the exercise referral corodinator on 01530 454839 or by e-mail at exercise.referral@nwleicestershire.gov.uk or visit Active Together.

If you would prefer to submit a self-referral, then visit First Contact Plus and use the self-referral button. This will then come through to us and we can get in contact with you directly to discuss how we can support you.