Gym Referrals from GP on mental health grounds..?

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Is this still a thing? I've been searching online and I can't seem to find out either way.

If so, is it normally a full membership or just access to certain classes?

Thanks in advance.

Bump for the evening crew.

I’m not sure, but I was given a full gym membership after being given a letter by a mental health social worker about 12 years ago now. There was no GP involvement (apart from initial GP referral to MH services). I think it might depend on where you live and the agreements between the different commissioning services. They’ve cut back on a lot of things in my area, so this might have gone too.

It's gone in my area, but it was quite limited to the gym during off peak hours anyway (so 9 - 4pm where I am, not great as I was working).

I suspect it'll be gone in a lot of places because of budget cuts but it's always worth going to the doctor to ask, incase there's still a way.

I think it depends on your CCG/area you live in. There have been various schemes/pilots over the years to offer free or discounted access to physical exercise as it's been shown to be effective for some mental health conditions, compared to offering anti-depressants say. Not always the gym, sometimes walking groups or organised exercise classes for example.

But I think there's no national policy so I think you'd need to ask your own GP if there's anything available in your area?