The new Exercise Referral Standard assessment can be taken standalone or as part of Sport England’s Quest assessment process, which is designed to help facilities strengthen their core operational standards, as well as demonstrate the positive impact they have on their local communities.

The Quality Standard for Exercise Referral assessment was originally developed pre-Covid by Right Directions in partnership with Suffolk Public Health, who had, in collaboration with exercise referral scheme leaders, health professionals and other key stakeholders across the county, provided a set of locally tailored operating standards for exercise referral schemes.

The first of its kind in the UK, it was developed to reassure GPs and health professionals that they can refer in the knowledge accredited facilities are successfully delivering programmes that have been rigorously tested using ‘real-world’ criteria. Following a successful two and half year pilot, the Standard has been adapted into a module for Sport England’s Quest.

The Standard aims to ensure exercise referral schemes are operating in line with the 2014 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for exercise referral and behaviour change, and that pathways are in place for exercise referral aligned to evidence-based principles and best practice guidelines; as well as local health and wellbeing priorities.

The Standard isn’t limited to those offering exercise referral in a leisure centre.  It’s ideal for small, specialist community teams and exercise referral-specific projects, as well as specialist exercise referral teams who operate as independent teams within the community or within a leisure facility setting.

The assessment can be carried out as a stand-alone accreditation or on day two as part of Quest Plus at no extra cost, and covers all elements of exercise referral across four key areas: scheme safety, scheme delivery (including governance), information sharing and scheme monitoring and evaluation.  It includes observation of a practical exercise referral session, which could be anything from a specialist programme review or initial consultation to an exercise class, group gym session or induction.

“The Exercise Referral Standard will allow facilities running exercise on referral schemes to challenge and check the suitability of the programmes they are running, analyse how they are using funding and demonstrate clear patient outputs.  This ‘rubber stamp’ should also give operators the confidence to apply for further funding,” said Phil Lown, senior quest assessor at Right Directions, which manages Quest on behalf of Sport England as part of Moving Communities. 

“Health professionals will no longer need to find solutions to embed exercise themselves; they can simply refer patients living with a condition that would benefit from physical activity to facilities that have achieved the Exercise Referral Standard, reassured they will receive a high standard of care and a structured exercise programme delivered in a safe environment.”