Councils urge GPs to prescribe outdoor exercise

The Local Government Association, representing more than 370 councils in the UK is calling for GPs to begin prescribing outdoor exercise in a bid to tackle obesity.  Rather than just issuing prescriptions for medicines, the LGA would like doctors to issue prescriptions for exercise.

Cllr. Izzie Seccombe, The Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Portfolio Holder said " Not every visit to a GP is necessarily a medical one.  By writing formal prescriptions for exercise it would encourage people to do more physical activity.  There are instances where rather than prescribing a pill, advising on some type of moderate physical activity outdoors could be more beneficial to the patient."

The latest guidelines for health professionals report that 1 in 4 patients would exercise more if advised to do so by a GP or nurse.