Running coach wants to start ‘health revolution’

The first programme started in January

A former police officer who lost six stone (38kg) through running is working with GP surgeries in East Kent to deliver the NHS Couch to 5K running programme.

Qualified health coach Steve Grantham is supporting a group of rural doctors’ surgeries near Ashford to help improve the wellbeing of patients and staff.

It is an initiative with the local Primary Care Network where surgeries can work together to deliver extra services.

Dr Neil Pillai, a GP at Ivy Court Surgery, in Tenterden, said one in five people in the UK were prescribed some form of psychotropic medication, which was "not helping people’s wellbeing".

Dr Pillai added: "It’s really important to be able to offer something different than just the prescription pad."

NHS Couch to 5K is an exercise programme designed to guide beginners from walking to running, before eventually covering 5km.

Mr Grantham, who is the founder of Beginners 2 Runners (B2R), said: “You go in [to the surgery], you say 'I’m feeling really depressed', or 'I’m anxious', or 'I’d like to lose weight', and within a couple of weeks you could be on one of our health coaching courses."

The former police officer explained that he wanted to see every GP surgery in the country partner with a health coach to deliver group walk-to-run programmes.

'Place of health'

So far he has set up 25 running clubs across Kent, with 2,000 members, and is working with seven GP surgeries.

“We want to start a health revolution where doctors’ surgeries aren’t a place of illness, they are actually a place of health."

Couch to 5K finisher Shuna Body was invited by her doctor to join the programme following long-term health issues.

“I feel a lot healthier, I’m even lighter. I actually eat properly now. I’m a bit more confident as well.”

Jason Tapp, who started in January, said he lost two stone (12.7kg) and felt "full of beans".

Runners in Tenterden recently completed the second course to be delivered by the GP and health coach partnership, after the first programme started in January in Charing.