Rush on to exercise the right to healthy minds

A PROGRAMME to help people exercise their way out of depression has received four times as many referrals in its opening months than predicted.

The Healthy Active Minds programme launched in July, offering GPs in Edinburgh the opportunity to prescribe exercise for patients with mental health problems.

Organisers Edinburgh Leisure and NHS Lothian expected to attract around 13 referrals a month, but in fact 55 patients joined the scheme every month during its first quarter, with referrals received from 37 medical practices.

Exercise is widely recognised as an effective way of treating mild to moderate depression. Participants in the Healthy Active Minds programme can receive a free Edinburgh Leisure pass, or be referred to charities and community groups which offer activities like gardening or seated exercise for the elderly.

They can choose to take part in activities under their own steam or be given a carefully planned timetable of activities and accompanied to sessions by an adviser.

Participants are encouraged to stick with the programme through regular meetings, and screenings before and after the programme discover how effective it has been in alleviating symptoms.

It is part of a wider NHS Lothian scheme aimed at halting the rise in the number of antidepressant prescriptions.

Patients can also be given a guided reading list; three sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy followed by the use of self-help manuals; or the chance to attend stress-reduction classes on a casual, or even anonymous, basis.

Senior health promotion specialist with NHS Lothian, Sheena Lowrie, said: "There are probably two reasons why it's been particularly popular – because it's part of a whole strategy of a range of alternatives to prescribing, and we promoted it quite aggressively with GPs.

"But also it's been really wanted for a while by patients and GPs. Maybe a GP in the past could refer someone to a walking group, but they didn't really know anything about that walking group. This is quite managed."

Ms Lowrie said a similar programme in West Lothian had shown statistically significant reductions in patients' symptoms of depression.

The scheme is initially funded for two years, but there are hopes it will be extended.

Edinburgh Leisure's community inclusion officer, Aisha Sohail, added: "From the launch of the programme it's become increasingly successful, so we're near capacity now."