When a client's PAR-Q says yes: asking their GP for advice before you train them
A yes answer on a PAR-Q means you should find out more before training the client, not that you can diagnose or clear them yourself. The usual next step is to ask the client to speak to their GP or healthcare professional and, with their written consent, to pass on a short request for any advice relevant to exercise.
A yes answer is a prompt, not a verdict
Our guide to the PAR-Q explains what the questionnaire is for. The point of this article is what happens next when a client ticks yes to one or more questions.
A personal trainer is not in a position to diagnose a condition or to decide what is medically safe for someone. Your job is to notice the flag, stop and ask, record what you did, and refer the client to a person who can give health advice. The NHS says in its physical activity guidance to speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have medical conditions or concerns.
Is a GP letter a legal requirement?
We have not found any UK law that tells a personal trainer to obtain a GP's sign-off before training a client. What does exist are expectations from other places: your insurer's policy wording, any venue you work in, and your own policy about what you will and will not do.
Check your insurer's wording before you decide, because some policies set conditions about screening and referral. Write your own rule down, for example, that a client with certain yes answers does not start until they have spoken to their GP, and apply it to every client in the same way.
How to ask for advice without asking for clearance
GP practices are busy, and a reply may take time or may not arrive. A short, specific request is more likely to be answered than a long letter.
Frame it as a request for advice, not a request for approval. Ask whether there is any type of exercise to avoid, whether there are limits on intensity, and whether any symptoms should make the client stop and seek help. Give the GP a brief description of what the training will involve.
The client carries or sends the slip. You should never ask a GP to take responsibility for your programme, and the reply does not replace your own judgement or your insurer's requirements.
Get consent before you share anything
A client's PAR-Q answers are health data, which the ICO classes as special category data, and you need a valid condition under the UK GDPR to process it. If you are relying on consent, the ICO says it must be freely given, specific and informed, and given by a clear affirmative act. It says silence and pre-ticked boxes are not consent, and that you must keep a record of it.
On your slip, ask the client to tick to confirm they agree you may share the specific details on it with their GP, and make clear they can say no or change their mind. The ICO says people must be able to refuse and to withdraw consent without penalty.
While you wait, and when the reply comes back
Decide in advance what you will do while you wait. Many trainers hold off until a reply arrives for higher-risk answers, and others offer only light activity within what the client says they are already doing. Whatever you choose, record it and apply it consistently. Never tell a client to stop, start or change medication: that is a matter for their doctor.
When a reply arrives, file it with the client's screening, note any adjustments in their programme and add the date. If the client does not want to involve their GP, record that they were advised to and that they chose not to, and take your insurer's wording into account before deciding whether to train them.
What a request for GP advice should include
A preview of our free Request for Healthcare Professional Advice Slip. The complete, print-ready version is sent to you by email.
Client details
- Client full name
- Date of birthDate
- + 2 more in the full form
Why we are asking
- The health screening question(s) the client answered yes toFree text
- Has the client already seen a doctor or specialist about this?Yes / NoIf yes, when and what was advised
- + 1 more in the full form
The training planned
- Type of trainingResistance · Cardio · Mobility · Circuits · Other
- Sessions per week and length of each
- + 2 more in the full form
What we are asking
- Is there any type of exercise the client should avoid?Yes / NoIf yes, please say what
- Are there limits on intensity or duration the client should keep to?Yes / NoIf yes, please give details
- + 2 more in the full form
Consent and reply
- I agree my trainer may share the details on this slip with the healthcare professional named aboveYes / No
- I understand I can say no, and can withdraw my consent at any time, without it affecting how I am treatedYes / No
- + 2 more in the full form
The full form has 19 questions in 5 sections, a signed declaration and space for your business details. Get it free below.
Free template
Get the print-ready Request for Healthcare Professional Advice Slip
A one-page slip for the client to take to their GP: what training is planned, what you are asking and the client's consent. Free, and yours to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
Do personal trainers need a GP letter for every client?
We have not found a UK law requiring one. It is usually prompted by yes answers on a health screening, and your insurer's wording may set expectations, so check your policy.
Can I contact a client's GP directly?
Only with the client's clear, recorded consent, because the details are health data. The simplest approach is to have the client take the signed slip to their GP themselves.
What if the client refuses to see their GP?
Record that you advised it and that they chose not to, then decide using your own policy and your insurer's wording whether you will train them. Do not diagnose or tell them it is safe to proceed.
Does a GP reply mean I am covered if something goes wrong?
No. A reply is advice for the client and a useful record, but it does not replace your own judgement, your qualifications or your insurance requirements.
Sources
- Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64, NHS
- What is special category data?, Information Commissioner's Office
- What is valid consent?, Information Commissioner's Office
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See the packs, from £29 →These articles are general guidance for UK personal trainers, not legal, tax, insurance or medical advice. Our forms are editable templates: adapt them to your own services and your insurer's terms, and take advice from a qualified adviser where you are unsure.