Gym with prescription

[vikki67]

Is it true that I can ask my GP for a prescription to join the council gym,a friend at work says that I can but I've never heard of this.Could anyone enlighten me.She also says that I only have to pay �1.I hope it is true cos I need to lose weight and can't afford to pay for membership...

Thanks in anticipation Vikki

[Booldawg]

yes you can if you are classed as 'over-weight'. It also depends on the local gym as to the terms & conditions of when you can use it (not in peak times) You can get up to a year on a reduced subscription (again, prices depend on the gym) After that it is full rate

[purpose]

Why does this very subject horrify me...?

[vikki67]

Why on earth should it horrify you?

[purpose]

A PRESCRIPTION to join a 'council' gym...?

Perhaps i am just not understanding the context, but a) why would anyone WANT a prescription to join a gym...? If a gym is your thing, then go to a regular gym, surely, but there ARE other ways to lose weight... and b) what the hell is a 'council' gym...? I have this really awful image in my head of all the lockers being full of old sofas and fridges...

[undercovers]

i'm not sure what your getting at purpose - a council gym is a cym run and paid for by the county council, a bit like the public swimming pool etc.

The principle is sound but it does depend on the gym and on the doctors practice - they have to be in some kind of an agreement to have gym referals e.g. it is not a national scheme or right of anyones, rather it is an additional service that the doctor and the gym think they can provide together. When i was involved in setting these up we would accept patients that presented with a variety of heart problems, high blood pressure or obesity, though other gyms have a wider range of acceptance criteria.

Go and have a word with your doctor � but I would phrase the request a bit differently than you have here, we were quite strict about the referral scheme not being used simply as a means of avoiding the subscription charges, so you should come at a request for your doctors assistance from a health need point of view rather than a money saving angle.
(if you are out of work those on unemployment benefit can also use council gyms free of charge, or for a greatly reduced fee).

Hope this helps

All the best undercovers

[CLOWN TICKLE]

in our area it includes swimming sessions, go for it