It has never been more important to have a clinical exercise workforce with the appropriate knowledge and skills to help in the prevention, management and rehabilitation of chronic and complex long-term conditions. As the NHS and other healthcare providers are put under increasing pressure to manage the burden of a physical inactivity epidemic, innovative workforce solutions are essential.  

  

As of 2020, there are over 890 clinical exercise services in the UK and with ongoing development of Clinical Exercise Physiology roles within the NHS and other healthcare providers, demand for Clinical Exercise Physiologists (CEPs) is ever-increasing. Professional registration of Clinical Exercise Physiologists began in 2021, with CEPs applying through an AHCS equivalence pathway. We are pleased to announce that the graduate registration route is now open, with the first AHCS accreditation of an MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology programme in the United Kingdom. In September 2023, the MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology offered at Liverpool John Moores University was accredited by the AHCS. An accredited master’s degree is designed to ensure graduates meet the AHCS Standards of Proficiency and Good Scientific Practice and the CEP-UK curriculum framework. All students on the accredited MSc in Clinical Exercise degree course must complete the required placement hours and pass an assessment of clinical competencies.   

  

Registered CEPs are qualified health professionals proficient in exercise testing, prescription and delivery of evidence-based interventions for the prevention, treatment and long-term management of acute, sub-acute, chronic and complex conditions. They work as part of multi-disciplinary teams of healthcare and rehabilitation providers across sectors and settings. Clinical Exercise Physiologists work with patients to optimise health, physical function and quality of life, whilst promoting long-term health through lifestyle modification and behaviour change.