Removing barriers to physical activity

Share your thoughts in one of our focus groups and receive a £50 voucher

Take part

Physical inactivity is the fourth greatest cause of ill health and responsible for 1 in 6 UK deaths*

But did you know that up to 40% of long-term conditions could be prevented by being more active?**

Our mission

We want to help shift the dial on these numbers by promoting the benefits of physical activity.

We’ve partnered with the Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine (FSEM) and the University of Edinburgh to host focus groups across the UK, so that we can understand the challenges people with symptoms of long-term health conditions face when accessing exercise.

Once we’ve identified these barriers to exercise, we’ll develop a way to overcome these, by providing those who have long-term health conditions with the correct support to exercise safely.

Group of people sat in a circle talking with cups of tea

Who we're looking for

Close up of people in a focus group

We're looking for people who are living with at least one or more symptoms of a long-term health condition, including:

  • Musculoskeletal pain (pain in the muscles, joints or bones)
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Angina (pain from your heart)
  • Falls and frailty/recurrent falls
  • Symptoms of high or low blood sugar, or problems with controlling your blood sugar due to diabetes
  • Palpitations (an awareness or sensation of your heart beating or racing, skipping beats, pounding, thumping or fluttering).
Find your nearest focus group location

About the focus group sessions

  • Focus groups will be held in the locations shown above
  • Sessions will be facilitated by FSEM who will ask for your information and consent before you participate
  • Each session will last approximately 1 hour and refreshments will be provided
  • Each participant will receive a £50 voucher as a thank you for their contribution to this research.

Share your thoughts and receive a £50 voucher


Your insights are vital in helping us to drive positive change and will help to make a difference to others.

If you have one or more of the symptoms listed above and would like to take part in one of our focus groups, please complete the short form by clicking below:

Take part


A member of the Nuffield Health team will follow up within 5 working days to discuss your application to join the focus group.

Group of people sat in a circle, including a woman with a clipboard

Useful information


Our partners

*Physical activity: applying All Our Health
**Everybody active, every day: framework for physical activity