NHS plans to offer personal trainers and exercise classes to tackle Type 2 diabetes mark an ‘exciting milestone’ for the fitness sector and a major opportunity to demonstrate its potential to work in synergy with the medical profession.

That’s according to Active IQ managing director Jenny Patrickson, who said there is huge scope for exercise professionals to help reverse the growing trend of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, but cautioned that questions need to be addressed over which levels of instructors are best-suited to the task.

The NHS unveiled plans last week to offer exercise sessions and lifestyle education to up to 100,000 patients per year by 2020 as part of the world’s first nationwide Diabetes Prevention Programme. Over nine months, patients will receive at least 13 education and exercise sessions of one to two hours per session – making at least 16 hours of 1-to-1 time in total.

Announcing the project, NHS England CEO Simon Stevens noted that obesity already costs the country more than the police and fire service combined. He said providing exercise and education support for at-risk individuals would help reduce what is a preventable health condition.

Although exercise referrals have so far enjoyed limited success, exercise professionals are eager to play a more active role in helping to lighten the load on the NHS by providing viable treatments. Public health delivery is becoming an increasingly important focus for the physical activity sector, with the chance to become a frontline public health delivery partner having previously been identified as an £8bn opportunity for the industry.

For Patrickson, recognition of the role that exercise professionals have to play in promoting activity and preventing Type 2 diabetes marks “definite progress” and the awarding organisation boss said the NHS should now work closely with the physical activity sector to define the practicalities of the scheme.

“I do have some concerns about the reference to PTs and exercise classes, as PT sessions and exercise classes are often provided by a different level of instructor e.g. Level 3 qualified PTs and Level 2 qualified class instructors,” Patrickson told Health Club Management.

“It therefore raises a question as to what level of exercise professional is best placed to work with these referred individuals. It could also be argued that a higher level specialist qualification, such as a Level 4 specialist qualification in physical activity and weight management for obese and diabetic clients, should be an additional requirement for exercise professionals working with individuals to reduce obesity and high blood sugar levels.”

Despite a growing body of research which suggests that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best form of exercise for battling Type 2 diabetes Patrickson added that the project should also look closely at whether the proposed HIIT sessions are the best way to introduce individuals to physical activity and motivate them to adhere to an exercise programme.