DR JOHN MORGAN

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Morgan talks to 80 per cent of patients about
exercise, including talking to parents about their kids
My patients cost the hospital £8,000 per 1,000 population,
compared to £12,000–13,000 per 1,000 population for
another local GP surgery of similar size and standing
to them about that and giving them a
real life option – the choice between
taking medication and using exercise to
treat and prevent disease… I fi nd most
of them want to take responsibility for
their own health. Some will want the
easier solution of a pill, but the vast
majority are willing to give exercise a go.”
Integrated healthcare
Morgan has been practising what he
preaches for many years, based out of
Wigan’s Pennygate Medical Centre.
“Back in the day, when practice-based
commissioning was starting – which was
probably about 10 years ago – I built a
gym in our practice. I used two fairly
sizable rooms in our new building, one
into which I put cardiovascular
equipment and another where I
mirrored the walls to use as an aerobics
studio; we employed a REPS Level 4
trainer to come in and deliver exercise
classes for us. That meant I could refer
people directly into our own gym.
“The rationale was to try and make
exercise inextricably linked with
health – physically putting exercise
facilities into the building to create
a true health centre rather than a
disease centre. I think too often the
NHS concentrates on treating disease
rather than promoting health.
“And it’s still going strong: ours is
one of the few general practices in the
country that has a cardiovascular gym
and aerobics studio inside it. I walked
past literally an hour ago and there
were people using it.
“We offer 12-week programmes, free
of charge, after which we encourage
people to progress into local facilities
– especially the Active Living in Wigan
scheme – to continue their exercise.
And we’ve seen great results, including
among genuinely sedentary, obese
people and right through the age ranges.
“I remember one lady in her late 60s/
early 70s who had never exercised in
her life, and she turned up for her fi rst
exercise class in twin set and pearls.
There are so many anecdotes like that.
But people soon get used to it and the
whole thing has ballooned: we have
walking groups now too, which the
patients have taken over and organise
and lead themselves. Those are excellent
for their social aspect too, and for the
fact that people don’t really feel like
they’re exercising – they enjoy it.
“The whole programme has really
enhanced the physical and mental health
of our patient population.”
Weight of evidence
And there’s data to prove it, including
a 2012 audit of Morgan’s 12-week
programme by students at Manchester
University. So what were the results
that most excited him
“It was probably the self-reported
change in mood: 92.5 per cent of
participants said they’d experienced
an improvement of mood. Also, 94 per
cent of people reduced their blood
pressure, independent of any medication.
“Meanwhile 81 per cent had
decreased hospital admissions and GP
consultations in the 12 months after the
exercise programme compared to the
previous 12 months. Not only that but
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