Active Southland has extended its Green Prescription service to now include face-to-face sessions in Western Southland. 

Green Prescription is a free, personalised programme aimed at helping patients make healthier physical activity and nutrition choices, to enhance physical, mental, and social wellbeing. 

While the service has always been offered Southland-wide via phone, for the past few months face-to-face consultations have been available at clinics in Western Southland, supporting people in those areas where travelling to Invercargill can be tricky or time consuming. 

Clinics currently run one morning a month in Nightcaps and one afternoon a month in Otautau. Clinics are also offered at the Tuatapere Medical Centre. 

The clinics are run by Active Southland Physical Activity Advisor Courtney Egerton. 

“These clinics have proven hugely popular with our patients living in the Western Southland area. We know that people are already busy, and taking several hours out of their day to access health services isn’t always an option. By offering these clinics we are hoping to make it easier for people to be supported in the lifestyle choices that will help them achieve their desired health outcomes.” 

For David Squire and his wife Kerry, having the clinics offered close to home made the process much more convenient and cost effective. 

“Having the consultations in Nightcaps definitely helps to keep the costs down.” 

“I have found the sessions with Courtney to be extremely beneficial in that they have helped motivate me to progress my ambition to reduce my BMI (body mass index) so that I can get surgery for both my knees.” 

The face-to-face consultations had worked well, as had the spin-off services that had come from those, such as the group dietitian sessions he had been referred to through his Green Prescription advisor. 

These sessions were conducted via Zoom, meaning he had all the benefits of the information and resources but without the travel and extra time constraints. 

“I found the dietitian sessions extremely helpful to fully understand how to read food labels properly so that I can continue to better control my diabetes. For example, last year we had fish and chips once a week, now we have baked fish and homemade baked fries,” David said. 

“Combining the sessions with Courtney and the dietitian has completely changed my eating habits, which in turn is helping me lose weight and the more weight I lose, the more exercise I will be able to do.” 

“I would really recommend Green Prescription to anyone.” 

For more information about Active Southland’s Green Prescription programme click here. 

Article added: Thursday 26 August 2021