Anger as Dumbarton exercise class is axed

Nov 28 2008 by Tina Kemp, Lennox Herald (main ed)

COUNCIL bosses have been accused of putting profit before people’s health after a weekly exercise class in Dumbarton was cancelled.

The Thursday class, set up through the GP referral scheme, was aimed at people with health problems.

But class members, whose suffer from a range of conditions including cerebral palsy and diabetes, were told the shock news just two weeks ago that the class will stop on Thursday.

They are furious that they were given no warning about the ending of the gym sessions and claim that they were offered no alternative by council staff.

Group members were sent to the Meadow Centre sessions – specially designed for people with medical conditions – by their GP.

The classes were run by fitness expert Jim Smart, who is specially qualified to teach people with medical problems.

Class member, John Czner from Dumbarton, said: “I’ve been going since it started, which was years ago. They should have told us the class was going to stop but they never told us anything. It’s all about money.

“It wasn’t just about the exercise, it was the social side of things too, meeting other people. I don’t know what I’m going to do now.”

Another, June Hyslop, said: “We just found out two weeks ago it was finishing. There was no discussion or consultation, and we weren’t given options for other classes.

“The class is for people with a range of problems who need to exercise. It’s important for us to keep mobile. It shouldn’t be about profit, but it is.”

Mr Smart said the class would finish with a Christmas lunch for members. He said: “This class was for people who wouldn’t normally go to a gym or who can’t go to normal exercise classes. GPs can still refer their clients to the Meadow Centre but under a different scheme.”

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “The class noted is not one of the classes approved by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as a pathway for the current GP referral scheme (Live Active) and GP referral clients would therefore not be referred to it.

"Leisure services management constantly review their class programme based upon financial viability, levels of popularity, attendance, etc, and have recently decided to remove the class in question from the current programme and the five regular class attendees have been offered the option of joining an alternative class.

“Customers can seek free advice on classes appropriate to their needs from the health counsellors based within the leisure facilities.”