Co-production in exercise referral schemes

This chapter explains emerging challenges for exercise referral schemes. It describes a case for using co-production approaches and the importance of stakeholder perspectives in exercise referral settings The chapter uses case studies to provide pragmatic examples of how a real-world participatory approach was undertaken to co-produce an evidence-based exercise referral scheme. Co-production is a promising method for primary and secondary prevention services, yet it should not be viewed as a panacea. Information obtained from key stakeholders with regard to their attitude towards the exercise referral service and the opinions of programme processes at an operation level may have implications for their involvement and subsequent improvement of the referral process. A co-production approach can result in a feasible solution to pragmatic challenges. Careful planning, inclusion of a well-represented development group and skilled facilitation is required to balance 'commissioning for populations and individuals'.