Transcript Sandwell Physical Activity Referral Programme

Sandwell Physical Activity
Referral Programme
Helen Brock
Sandwell Primary Care Trust
Background
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Sandwell has 6 towns
Funded by PCT
Been running for 4 years
Gradually grown in size and reputation across
Sandwell
 Aim is to encourage participants to be more
physically active in their day-day life
 Successful scheme but now struggling with new
challenges (e.g. NICE) and large numbers
Where and who runs the scheme?
 13 health and fitness assessment centres
– 2 Leisure Centres, 2 schools, 8 community
centres, 1 GP practice
– Covers the whole of Sandwell
 20 staff trained to GP referral standard.
– Also have in-house training sessions
 1 full time coordinator (but this programme
is not the only part of role)
Health Professionals
 All have a briefing session
 At least one person per GP surgery in
Sandwell is registered to refer patients
 Secondary Care Services
– Physiotherapy, diabetes specialist nurses,
respiratory nurses,
 CVD Risk Project
Referral Process
 Referral by health professional
 Appointment made at one of the centres
 1-1 assessment
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PAR-Q, various health and fitness checks, lifestyle questions, physical activity advice
 10 week exercise period
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Support through 10 weeks
 10 week re-assessment
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Further advice, other lifestyle referrals
 6 and 12 month follow ups
Inclusion / Exclusion
 Inclusion:
– Patients who are aged16+
– suffer a medical condition
– sedentary
 Exclusion:
– Symptomatic CHD or asymptomatic post MI who have not
undergone coronary rehab programme.
– Uncontrolled hypertension >160/100mmHg
– Unstable diabetics (can’t exercise below 5 or above17 mmols/l)
– Uncontrolled or acute heart failure
– Ventricular or aortic aneurysm
– Uncontrolled tachycardia (>100bpm at rest)
– Unstable or recently diagnosed angina (last 3 months)
Physical Activity Options
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10 week exercise programme – FREE
Leisure Centre Activities
EXTEND
Home based exercise
Walking – independent and health walks
Green Gym
Gardening
Daily routine changes
Cycling
Self-referrals
 Scheme also takes self-referrals
 Same process but no free exercise
 Also target this work with whole community
groups / workplaces
Results from last year
 Quarterly monitored but annually reported
 April 2005 – March 2006
– 1529 patients (66% female, 41% aged 30-50 years old and 46%
over 50)
– 58% white British, 42% BME
– 60% health professional referrals, 40 % self-referrals
– Most popular medical conditions suffered – hypertension, obesity,
diabetes, arthritis and other (general stress and anxiety)
Results Continued
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55% returned for re-assessment
73% of those had increased their activity levels
Most had increased their activity by 2-3 days
The main activities adhered to after 10 weeks
were home based programmes, walking and then
exercise classes and the gym
 Total of 2038 health improvements were recorded
the main one being overall fitness.
Challenges
 NICE guidance and being part of a research
programme
 Large numbers of referrals – emphasis on quality
rather than quantity
 Ensuring right type of patient comes through on
scheme
 Free Exercise – long term sustainability
 Looking to revamp scheme 1st April 2007
– Meeting tomorrow to get the process started
Thanks for listening
Questions?