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GP Referral Scheme

The GP Referral Scheme in Rushcliffe is a partnership between our leisure centres and local GP Practices.

It offers people who are sedentary or who have a long term medical condition the opportunity to get more active, bringing many benefits including improved physical and mental wellbeing and helping to manage medical conditions better. You can take part in a range of activities including swimming, exercise classes and workouts in the fitness suite. 

You will need to contact your GP or health care professional who will be able to advise you if you are eligible for the scheme.  If you are eligible they will complete a referral form for you.  Once referred you will need to contact the leisure centre to book a consultation appointment with the GP Referral health specialist and they will tailor a 6-8 week (depending on which leisure centre you access) physical activity programme for you.  

On completion of your programme you will then discuss your options in order to continue with your new healthier lifestyle.

Exercise for Health Referral Criteria

Patients can be referred

All referrals must be aged 16+ and fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

Exhibit at least one of the following risk factors for coronary heart disease

  • Smoking
  • Family history of heart disease
  • High cholesterol levels (consistently above 5.2 total cholesterol)
  • Obesity/Overweight (BMI 25-30+)
  • Hypertension (140/90 to 179/109 mmHg) (ACSM, 1995)
  • Treated Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Exhibit at least one of the following risk factors for osteoporosis

  • Smoking
  • Heavy alcohol consumption
  • Family history of osteoporosis
  • Hysterectomy
  • Taking prescribed corticosteroids
  • Early menopause
  • History of dieting
  • History of diet lacking in calcium or vitamin D
  • History of amenorrhoea

Controlled asthma

Suffer from mild to moderate rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis

Suffer from mild to moderate depression, stress or anxiety

Patients cannot be referred

  • Angina pectoris
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (regular readings over 170/110)
  • Cerebro-vascular disease
  • Severe Peripheral vascular disease
  • Paroxysmal arrhythmias
  • Recent cardiac event (e.g. MI or Cardiac Surgery) but no current angina
  • Poorly controlled or brittle insulin dependent diabetes (type 1, or 2 on insulin)
  • Severe or poorly controlled asthma
  • Severe chronic pulmonary disease
  • Chronic muscle, joint or bone conditions that greatly impede mobility or require physiotherapist treatment
  • Unstable or severe mental health state
  • Patients who in the Healthcare
  • Professionals opinion are not medically fit to undertake an exercise programme, due to other conditions

Note: Assessment of the degree of severity is left to the clinical judgement of the referring G.P.

Leisure Centres