Written question asked by Sandra Gidley (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 13 December 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 21 December 2000. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Thursday, 21 December 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the current list of GP practices in England which offer exercise on prescription. - (Holding answer 20 December 2000).

Answer: Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the current list of GP practices in England which offer exercise on prescription. [143115] Yvette Cooper: [holding answer 20 December 2000]: The Department does not keep a national register of practices which offer `exercise on prescription' or `exercise referral' schemes. However, details of existing schemes are held locally by health authorities or local authorities. The Department has funded two reviews by the former Health Education Authority that documented the progress of these schemes. The research showed that better designed general practitioner referral schemes can lead to small levels of increased participation in activity, but that practice across the country was highly variable. The Department will publish a National Quality Assurance Framework on GP referrals in early 2001. The Framework will aim to raise the standards and consistency of GP referral schemes, and help to make them more effective and self-sustaining. Under the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, all National Health Service bodies will `have agreed and be contributing to the delivery of local programmes of effective policies on increasing physical activity'. By April 2001, GP referral schemes may form part of these local programmes.

Secondary information