People with depression are still being denied exercise on prescription, says new report

30 June 2009

• Only half of the country’s GPs have access to exercise referral schemes for people with depression

• Mental health charity calls for end to postcode lottery

• 1 in 6 people experience depression, number expected to rise as result of economic crisis

In 2004, clinical guidelines recommended exercise as a treatment for mild or moderate depression*, yet only half of GPs report having access to an exercise referral scheme (49%) in a report from the Mental Health Foundation.  This comes on the back of recent figures showing that prescriptions for antidepressants have almost doubled in a decade.

Moving On Up reveals the barriers that are preventing patients with mild or moderate depression from accessing exercise on prescription. They include funding constraints within local government and primary care trusts, and that many GPs simply aren’t aware that exercise schemes are available in their area. The mental health charity says that such obstacles must be overcome to give people with depression better access to exercise therapy. It says that Primary Care Trusts should fund the development of exercise schemes to which people with mental health problems can be referred by the GPs and other health professionals.

In the UK, 1 in 6 people experience depression. This figure could increase as people find themselves facing unemployment, debt and housing worries as a result of the economic crisis. Such circumstances can lead to extreme stress, depression and anxiety.

Exercise therapy... a proven treatment for mild to moderate depression

Evidence shows that a supervised programme of exercise on prescription can be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild or moderate depression - but exercise has far fewer negative side effects. Despite this GPs remain over-reliant on antidepressant medication due to a lack of alternatives available. Figures published in April this year show that number of anti depressant prescriptions has almost doubled since 1998 – from 18,424,473 to 35,960,500**.

Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said:

“This is not about knocking antidepressants, they can be incredibly helpful for some people but the truth is that their side-effects can be unpleasant. People experiencing mild or moderate depression are currently being denied access to a clinically recommended, medication-free treatment that could help them. Primary Care Trusts really need to make an effort to ensure that exercise therapy is available to GPs and their patients.”

Central YMCA delivers exercise referral programmes. It’s Chief Executive, Rosi Prescott, said:

“Despite the increasing evidence base to support exercise therapy, much more needs to be done to persuade those in the health service of their benefits. More needs to be done to ensure that all people working within primary care have access to exercise referral schemes - there should be no postcode lottery.”

Learn more about exercise and mental health with one of the BBC’s street doctors

2 free guides have been published by the Mental Health Foundation for those interested in knowing more about exercise and mental health.

• How exercise can help beat depression tells you everything you need to know about exercise on prescription

• How to look after your mental health using exercise’ explains how exercise can keep you mentally well.

You can download these from the exercise and mental health campaign section or or telephone 020 7803 1101 for your free copies.

On the charity’s website you can also listen to a new podcast presented by one of the BBC’s street doctors, Jonty Heaversedge, who said:

“Exercise has so many benefits for the mind and body - the trick is to find a physical activity that suits you. Busy lifestyles can make it hard to find time to exercise so why not try to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine by walking or cycling rather than driving or using public transport.”

Ends

For more information please contact the Mental Health Foundation press office on 020 7803 1130 / 1128 or sloveland@mhf.org.uk

* In December 2004 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommended in its guidelines for treating depression in primary and secondary care that: ‘Patients of all ages should be advised of the benefits of following a structured and supervised

exercise programme of typically up to three sessions per week of moderate duration (45 minutes to one hour) for between 10 and 12 weeks’.

**Source: Prescription Cost Analyses 1998-2008.

In 2005 the Mental Health Foundation launched Up and Running? a campaign to promote exercise therapy for depression as a tool for GPs and treatment option for patients with mild to moderate depression.

Moving On Up, partly funded by the Department of Health, saw the Mental Health Foundation work with six exercise scheme providers in England. They were based in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, London, Northamptonshire, the Wirral, and Redcar and Cleveland. The GP polling was conducted in November 2007.

The Mental Health Foundation uses research and practical projects to help people survive, recover from and prevent mental health problems. We work to influence policy, including government at the highest levels. And we use our knowledge to raise awareness and to help tackle the stigma attached to mental illness.  We reach millions of people every year through our media work, information booklets and online services.

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