What is NERS?
NERS is a Public Health Wales initiative to promote physical activity in those people who are currently inactive or who have certain medical conditions. NERS stands for National Exercise Referral Scheme.
What is exercise referral?
Your doctor or health professional may believe that you would benefit from being more physically active. In order to support you in building more activity into your life you may wish to participate in the exercise referral programme. As part of this programme, you will be invited to participate in a number of supervised exercise sessions in Neath Port Talbot.
What activities are available and what is the cost?
It is recognised that not everybody feels comfortable in traditional gymnasiums. Therefore in order to ensure a wide appeal this scheme will offer a variety of activities in a number of different settings.
Each programme of activity will be designed to suit the individual patient’s needs and will always be supervised by a NERS instructor. All personal information provided to NERS instructors will be treated in the strictest confidence. Cost of each session is £2.00.
- Tai chi
- Gym and Circuits
- Swimming
- Healthy Eating
- Pilates
We also have a range of specialist classes e.g. exercise following a stroke, cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab
How Will it help me?
Exercise has been shown to improve people’s health in many ways. For Example, it reduces the risk of heart Disease, lowers blood pressure, and helps weight loss. It can also help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, therefore enhancing the participants feeling of well being.
How Much Physical activity will I be doing?
The NERS scheme will provide an opportunity to experience a minimum of two activity sessions each week.
What will the programme consist of?
Once in the exercise programme, you will be contacted by a specially trained exercise professional who will invite you for a consultation. At this consultation the professional will find out a bit more about your health history and help select a programme of exercise that is suitable for you, classes that will be fun and help improve your health. You will be able to access a wide range of opportunities and these will be available to you for the 16 weeks of the programme. After 16 weeks, you will again meet with the exercise professional to help agree a plan for continuing to exercise.
How can I access the scheme?
Simply visit your GP or other health professional who should be able to provide you with the relevant information. Or alternatively contact the Programme Coordinators:
NERS Project Co-ordinators:
Lisa Jones / Claire Jones
Ners
Margam Country Park
Port Talbot
SA13 2TJ
Tel: 01639 861144
Email: l.jones9@npt.gov.uk / c.m.jones1@npt.gov.uk