A taxpayer-funded course that teaches people how to “stand up without falling over” has been branded “ridiculous”.
The hour-long “Get Up and Go – Falls Prevention” classes allow anyone aged over 19 to “participate in chair based and standing exercises”.
People signing up for the course – run by North and West Northamptonshire Council – are promised the chance to ”develop balance confidence”.
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But the local authority has been labelled a “laughing stock”. Anne Webdale, 34, of Wellingborough, Northants, added: “This course is to teach people how to stand up and not fall over, which is just ridiculous.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Next they’ll be running a course on how to breathe without suffocating.”
Councillor Helen Harrison, Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing for North Northamptonshire Council said: “As a chartered physiotherapist I am immensely proud of the work being carried out around falls prevention.
“Not only is it cost effective, but also prevents pain and distress to individuals and their families. The sorts of people who may benefit from these types of activities is many and varied, including younger people with long term health conditions.
“The Falls Prevention – Get up and Go course is focused on preventing falls, has been delivered since 2018, and is evidence based.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Councillor Harrison continued: “For the academic year 2021/22 there were 29 enrolments on the course. The average cost per learner was around £13 per week and the average learner age 67.
“In comparison local figures show that a hospital stay resulting from a fall is usually around ten days, at a cost to the NHS of upwards of £400 per day.”
In fact, Harrison said the course was “cost effective”, adding: “The average cost per learner was around £13 per week. A hospital stay resulting from a fall is usually around 10 days, at a cost to the NHS of upwards of £400 per day.”
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