Operator Places for People Leisure (PfPL) is working on an innovative partnership with a London university, gathering evidence to build the case for swimming to be prescribed by GPs.

ukactive recently called for exercise professionals to be embedded in all GP clinics and job centres to help tackle the UK’s inactivity crisis and swimming referrals could form a vital pathway into exercise for those intimidated by the gym. With lack of exercise across society estimated to cause around 37,000 deaths annually and costs the economy £20bn per year, the need for innovative solutions to get people moving is more pressing than ever.

PfPL is halfway through an academic research project with Kingston and St. George’s University, London, where researchers are gathering evidence and looking at the role of the operator’s Swim4Health initiative as an aquatic pathway for GP referral.

“Our future goal is to encourage GPs and other healthcare professionals such as dieticians to partner up with schemes such as Swim4Health as an alternative or adjuvant model of care for their patients,” said Susan Rossetto, PfPL head of Health & Wellbeing.

“We want to offer an activity solution for overweight individuals to help them prevent health problems. We know that swimming is often the activity of choice for those who are overweight as the water supports their weight and they often feel less self-conscious exercising in the pool.”

Swimming has suffered a hard time of late, with the most recent Sport England figures showing 144,200 fewer people taking to the pool in the last six months, however Places for People Leisure’s Swim4Health initiative has helped it to increase swimming memberships by 18 per cent.

The programme, which has been running for the past three years, offers prospective members six weeks of unlimited access to their local leisure centre’s swimming facilities, including aquatic classes for between £20 and £28 (depending on location). They also get a consultation with an aquatic advisor who helps them set appropriate goals. After the trial has ended, those who do wish to join the facility as a full member, or a swim member, are also given an introductory offer as a further incentive.

To tie in with Swim4Health, PfPL also provides free Swimtag wristband trackers, which enable participants to track data from their swim and analyse the information online to evaluate goals. The wristband – which uploads data automatically when the device is handed back to reception at the end of a session – tracks swimming duration, distance, calories burned and even how long was spent practising different strokes.

“All of our pools are equipped with Swimtag technology, enabling all members access to the technology at no additional charge,” added Rossetto.

“From our Swimtag statistics, we know that with approximately 6,000 members using the technology, all of whom swim on a regular basis, these users collectively are covering around 40,000km and burning more than 11 million calories every month.”

To read an interview with Places for People Leisure CEO Sandra Dodd – from the March issue of Health Club Management – click here.