Health in Motion – Active Travel Prescription

How does it work?

GPs, nurses and other health care staff will identify patients who may benefit from access to supported exercise. They would discuss the project and if the patient was interested, they would be asked if they were happy for their name and phone number to be passed on to a coordinator and get patients agreement. The coordinator would not be given any of the patient’s clinical information.

They would then be phoned by the Coordinator who will outline the various group options. The participant will be asked if they would like a buddy to accompany them to the first or all group sessions. It may be possible to have a buddy that has attended Dementia Friendly training. The participant will complete a participation form to attend the group (basic medical information, next of kin etc). If the participant has chosen to attend a cycling group they will be offered one session of one to one training to build confidence or to attend a 2 hour Essential Cycle Skills course. They will then go along to a group with their buddy (if they have one).

They will be contacted by the coordinator after the first attendance and then after 4 and 8 attendances. The participant will be given a questionnaire after 8 visits to assess how they are getting on, progress, plans going forward etc. At any time the participant could withdraw from the scheme and stop being contacted or alternatively could continue in the group indefinitely. Participants may also self-refer to join a group.
Buddy scheme
Participants will be offered a buddy to go along to the groups with them. This could be just for the first visit or every week. This person would help them along. Buddies will be volunteers from the local community, recruited through Tay Valley Timebank. It may be we can support the volunteer with dementia friendly training.

Mobility impaired participants


People in wheelchairs are welcome to come along to the walking group with their own helper or with a buddy. Upper Tay Transport plans to have wheelchairs to borrow for this purpose in the future.
For more information
Speak to Emma, Upper Tay Transport [email protected] or phone 07881 991176