16 Mar 2005 - Bolsover Wellness Programme scheme
Poor Health levels across Bolsover District are being targeted through physical activity programmes. The Bolsover Wellness Programme aims to address life expectancy by increasing levels of physical activity, which in turn will reduce obesity, the risk of stroke, CHD, Diabetes and a range of other illnesses.
Bolsover District Council's Leisure Services department has teamed up with the Primary Care Trust through the Bolsover Local Strategic Partnership and the Exercise 4 All group at Tibshelf to co-ordinate and deliver a GP exercise referral programme at the council's leisure centres and community venues across the district. Once a patient has been referred from their GP, tailor made exercise programmes will be developed by the Exercise Referral Co-ordinator dependent upon the individuals needs. This could range from gentle walking, swimming, chair based exercises or gym work.
To date the scheme has seen over 2000 attendances for the referral sessions, 600 referrals, and over 70% of patients continuing exercise after the initial 12 week session. The results are encouraging in terms of lowering blood pressure and weight reduction
Councillor Toni Bennett, Cabinet Member for Health and Well-Being at Bolsover District Council said: "This scheme is about making people healthy and by targeting the most at risk groups this will increase their life expectancy levels by engaging them in activities they would not normally participate in. Specific sessions have been integrated into the leisure centres programmes to help break down the stigma attached to health and fitness, with the intention of encouraging people to participate in mainstream fitness programmes.
Increasing physical activity not only improves fitness levels but also contributes to improvements in mental health, limiting long term illnesses, and the mobility and independence of people in older age."
The initial 12-week programme is free of charge, the following 12 weeks at a subsidised rate, with the aim of getting more people involved and taking regular exercise.