Should GPs give out prescriptions for exercise instead of sick notes? 

In Britain, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged doctors to give out fewer sick notes and instead tell their patients to hit the gym. 

The idea is that exercise will help with many physical and mental conditions that people suffer from. 

On Lunchtime Live, GP Dr Niall Breen said the “devil is in the detail” and Irish GPs tried something similar many years ago. 

“People might actually be surprised to know that there was a pilot here, about 10 or 12 years ago,” he explained.  

“We were prescribing exercise and things like that. 

“I’m always wary about these things; I don’t think it’s coming here anytime soon. 

“But it definitely is something behind it from a medical basis, believe it or not.” 

Friends taking selfies at the gym. Alamy.com

Dr Breen added that while exercise is hugely beneficial, it is not a silver bullet for every condition. 

“I can think of patients straight away who are long-term unwell [and for] whom advising them to go to an exercise class just wouldn’t be appropriate,” he said. 

“But I can think of a few people who would relish something like this.

“But as GPs, we’ve very, very cautious about these [initiatives] and the costing would need to be rock solid.” 

'Can’t underestimate the impact'

Also on the programme, Irish Physio Analytical Association Chairperson Darina Dunne argued that the health service should put far greater emphasis on exercise. 

“Within this country, with all due respect to your previous speaker, we tend to be far too quick to go straight to medication in terms of the solution,” she argued. 

“What we’re doing currently in relation to our healthcare model really is disease management. 

“I don’t think there is anyone that is credible that would say that physical activity has got a huge role to play in terms of people’s wellness, in terms of people’s long term health. 

“And also, in terms of mental health.” 

Ms Dunne continued that exercise is a “critical tool in terms of recovery”. 

“Being physically active just 30 minutes a day reduces your chances of getting cancer,” she said. 

“We can’t underestimate the impact that physical activity can have.”

Main image: A woman exercising. Picture by: Alamy.com.