Virtual delivery of an exercise referral scheme

Role: Project lead

Funder: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (award ID: NIHR131573; project reference: NIHR134153)

Award: Funding awarded to the Public Health Responsive Studies Team (PHIRST) 'Connect'. Chief investigator: Prof Katherine Brown. Click here for more information on the PHIRST programme of research.

Dates: January 2021 to July 2022

Background

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS) shifted from its standard programme (face-to-face delivery) to a remote programme (including virtual delivery), and then later to a modified programme (face-to-face delivery, virtual delivery, or a mixture of the two). This study explored the views and experiences of service users and providers of the NERS when delivered in face-to-face and/or virtual formats, and to examine the cost to service users of engaging with the scheme.

What did we do?

We collected data via three focus groups (19 exercise referral professionals), and interview (21 service users and one person who had declined a NERS invitation).

What did we find?

• Referrers are perceived as lacking knowledge about the scheme,what it entails, and how to go about making a referral

• Having higher health literacy likely facilitates scheme entry

• Support and reassurance from Exercise Referral Professionals helps new service users to overcome anxieties about the scheme

• Financial barriers (e.g. the cost of devices and getting online), along with poor connectivity and confidence accessing the necessary platforms, can prevent service users from engaging with virtual content.

  Financial barriers to accessing face-to-face content also exist

• Aspects of the NERS that promote engagement (structure, feedback and support) can still be effectively delivered in an online environment but caveats exist

• Service-user consultations are most suited to face-to-face delivery

Next steps

In September 2022, a full report of the findings was presented to Public Health Wales (the organisation that manages the NERS programme). These findings are under review with the intention of being used to inform future delivery of the NERS programme.

Publications

A paper currently under review at BMC Public Health: ‘Adaptations to the Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study exploring the experiences of service users and providers and supplementary out-of-pocket costs analysis’ – A preprint is available here.  

Other outputs

See the PHIRST website for full report and a research briefing for this study.