Will my travel costs be covered? Unfortunately we are unable to cover travel costs but Surrey Sports Park is close by and easily accessible by public and private transport.
On which day/days will the programme take place? The programme is designed to be flexible and help accommodate all those who are participating. There are a variety of times available for the sports activities and gym programme including weekdays, weekends and evenings to ensure that you can arrange it around your other commitments.
Where are the sessions held? At the Surrey Sports Park which is on Richard Meyjes Road, Guildford, GU2 7AD.
Will I need extra help from family or friends? We don’t think you will need extra help from family or friends though having them support your efforts to become more active will undoubtedly help you.
Is it possible to change exercise programmes should I find the one that I am allocated to unsuitable? Unfortunately no, as the study is a formal randomly controlled trial we cannot switch the group you are assigned to.
What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the study? If you withdraw from the study, we will destroy all your contact details on our records, but we will need to use the data collected up to your withdrawal.
Who can I contact if I have a problem? You can contact either the exercise professional at Surrey Sports Park you are assigned to or you can contact Anna Whittle on gh2000@surrey.ac.uk or 01483 686743.
Can I continue with any other activity (e.g. walking, jogging or slimming class) throughout the duration of the trial? Absolutely, we encourage you to be as active as possible.
Am I supposed to take time off work for the duration of the exercise referral programme? Due to the flexibility of the times there should be no need to take time off work but as your referral will be made by your GP you are entitled to ask for time off though this will be at the discretion of your employer.
How long does it take to get onto the programme? The process from getting in contact to starting at the Sports Park usually takes around 2-3 weeks.
What happens if I need to be away for a few days during the programme? Will it be possible to take a holiday during the 12 week period for example? Taking time out during the programme is possible; you need to let the exercise referral expert know when you will be away and we should be able to work around it.
What is the likely total cost of the fees? Unfortunately GP referral carries with it a small fee – a bit like a prescription charge – to cover the cost of the treatment. When you get your referral letter you take it to Surrey Sports Park and this entitles you use the facilities at a much reduced rate. There is an initial £15 sign-up fee which covers the consultations with the exercise referral specialist and a card for access around the building. There are two payment options: Pay As You Go for each session at £3 or you can pay up front for the 12 weeks at £60 and go as many times as you like within the 12 week period.
Is the Sports Park accessible by bus? Yes, ARRIVA buses operate a regular service to Surrey Sports Park via its 36 and 37 bus services which run every 20 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays and half-hourly during the evenings. The number 26 and 27 services also stop at Surrey Sports Park on Sundays only. There is also free parking on site.
Is the study safe? Yes, our trained exercise professionals will make sure that the exercise programme you take is within your capabilities and won’t cause you any harm. They are all trained in first aid and to be able to identify when someone is exercising at a level beyond one that is good for them.
What kind of care will I receive? The exercise programmes are monitored by trained GP referral exercise specialists. You can meet some of them in the accompanying videos on this website. They will talk to you about your state of health, what kinds of activity you already do and they will help you plan a safe exercise programme.
Will I be able to find out the results? The findings of the trial will be available at the study website once the study is complete. You will be given a link to this information at the end of the study and if you wish to receive a hard copy of the results this will also be available. The results of the research will also be published in academic and medical journals and at conferences. You will not be identified personally in any report/publication.
Will there be after care support? No, not directly from the trial team but your GP will know that you have taken part in the trial and can help with any health-related problems after the study has finished.