Level 4 Qualification
Cancer & Exercise Rehabilitation

Dear everyone,

The CanRehab team are delighted to announce that we are now the first U.K. training provider to be able to offer a Level 4 Qualification in Cancer and Exercise Rehabilitation, which is endorsed by SkillsActive and recognised by the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs). We know that you have all been waiting a long time to hear this exciting news and we really appreciate your patience.

Dr. Karen Robb a Consultant Physiotherapist at Bart’s and the London NHS Trust is one of the team of experts in the field of cancer and exercise who will provide the training and support required for you to become a specialist exercise instructor in cancer rehabilitation. Karen’s clinical and research interests are linked to managing the consequences of cancer treatment, particularly in breast cancer patients. We also have links with clinical nurse specialists and physiotherapists throughout the U.K. to ensure that you will have the opportunity to learn from and link with the relevant clinical health professionals in your region. On successful completion of this qualification you will not only be a recognised specialist exercise instructor but you will have also gained 20 REPs points as part of your continued professional development programme.

The knowledge you will gain by completing this qualification will enable you to confidently and professionally deliver exercise classes and individual exercise sessions to your clients living with cancer. Additionally, you may also be able to increase and expand your job opportunities within the NHS and through GP referral schemes as more health professionals include exercise as part of a cancer care package for patients both during and after cancer treatment.

In the past it was assumed that the best advice to give anyone diagnosed with cancer was to rest as much as possible. However, research has shown that too much rest may result in loss of stamina, muscle tone and bone strength. As with other long term conditions such as cardiac disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease it is time to provide cancer rehabilitation as part of a cancer care package and make a policy shift towards recommending physical activity during and after cancer treatment.

You may have seen the recent media coverage of the launch of Macmillan Cancer Support’s “Move More” campaign which aims at encouraging more people living with cancer to adopt a healthier lifestyle by being more active both during and after cancer treatment. We now believe there is a growing awareness among many health professionals that by prescribing exercise to patients living with cancer they can not only reduce the side effects of cancer treatment but can also reduce the risk of the cancer recurring. For more information on Macmillan’s “ Move Move” campaign and their recent publication “The Importance of Physical Activity for People Living with Cancer and Beyond Cancer: A Concise Evidence Review” please follow the two  links below.

www.macmillan.org.uk/Documents/AboutUs/Commissioners/ Physicalactivityevidencereview.pdf
www.macmillan.org.uk/movemore



After cancer diagnosis many patients often demonstrate a willingness to change their lifestyle and take up exercise. CanRehab believes that it is vitally important that these patients are given the correct advice by professionally trained fitness instructors who are able to design and adapt a physical activity programme for each individual patient which will aide their recovery. As a specialist exercise instructor in cancer rehabilitation you will be able to actively assist and encourage your clients living with cancer on their road to recovery.

Please visit our website
www.canrehab.co.uk/dates.htm where you will find a full list of course dates and venues. Feel free to forward this newsletter to any friends and colleagues who may also be interested in CanRehab.