Fitness firm Move it or Lose it has secured a deal with a NHS clinical commissioning group to provide free physical activity programmes to patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The company, which devises fitness programmes to encourage older people to keep active in later life, is working in 49 GP practices across Birmingham, West Midlands, offering a free 12-week exercise and support programme to encourage patients to become more active and reduce the effects of their illness.

The exercises aim to decrease the number of emergency hospital admissions, each of which cost the NHS between £1,960 (US$2,657, €2,220) and £5,000 (US$6,778, €5,663) per COPD patient, due to the complex nature of the condition.

All patients are evaluated throughout the programme, with GPs receiving reports to monitor his or her progress. Once confident, patients are then signposted to local community classes taking place throughout the region in private group sessions.

Julie Robinson, Move it or Lose it founder, said: “Because people suffering from COPD can become over exerted quickly, it’s important that they take part in a tailored exercise programme that gradually builds their fitness and improves their health.

“The sessions have been designed to take place within the surgeries and can even be done seated. We go through a warm-up, aerobic and strength-building exercises using resistance bands to improve endurance levels, along with exercises to improve flexibility and balance.

“As the number of classes increases, we are looking for instructors to help deliver them across the area.”