Qi Gong and Social Prescribing in the UK: A Complete Guide for Link Workers

Qi Gong and Social Prescribing in the UK: A Complete Guide for Link Workers

Qi Gong At The Bright Beings Academy
November 24, 2025•9 min read

Social prescribing is expanding rapidly across the UK. Link workers, GPs and wellbeing teams are under pressure to find safe, gentle, community-based activities that genuinely help with pain, fatigue, anxiety and loneliness.

Qi Gong sits in a powerful sweet spot: it is low-impact, adaptable for all ages, rooted in evidence, and already used in community programmes. On this page, you’ll see how Qi Gong at Bright Beings Academy can fit into your social prescribing offer, and you’ll find links to deeper guides, local pages and our impact data.

If you’d like a plain-English overview of social prescribing itself, you can also read
Social Prescribing Explained: How Gentle Movement and Qi Gong Support NHS Personalised Care.

What is social prescribing – and where does Qi Gong fit?

Social prescribing allows primary care and community teams to refer people to non-medical, community-based support: gentle movement, arts, nature, peer support, learning and more. It’s particularly useful for people living with:

  • Long-term conditions (pain, COPD, heart issues, Parkinson’s)

  • Mild to moderate anxiety, stress and low mood

  • Loneliness, isolation and “nothing else has helped” fatigue

Across the UK, many PCN resource sheets and community centres are already listing Tai Chi / Qi Gong under “gentle exercise” or “mind–body activities”.

Qi Gong is therefore not a fringe extra. It fits directly into social prescribing menus as:

  • Gentle exercise for long-term conditions

  • Breath- and balance-based movement for healthy ageing

  • A calm, low-pressure group space to reconnect with others

For a deeper dive into the research, see
The Science Behind Qi Gong for Social Prescribing: Pain, Breath and Mood.

Why Qi Gong is a strong choice for social prescribing

Qi Gong combines three core elements:

  • Slow, repeatable movements

  • Deep, natural breathing

  • Calm, focused attention

Together, these help people move out of survival mode and into a more regulated, resourceful state. Studies and reviews suggest that regular Qi Gong may support:

  • Chronic pain and fibromyalgia – reduced pain, better sleep and improved daily function

  • COPD and breathlessness – improved lung function, exercise tolerance and quality of life

  • Parkinson’s and balance issues – better balance and walking in small trials

  • Blood pressure and cardiovascular health – modest improvements in BP and fitness

  • Anxiety, stress and mood – calmer nervous system, improved overall wellbeing

You can explore these in more depth in
The Science Behind Qi Gong for Social Prescribing: Pain, Breath and Mood.

If you work specifically with mental health referrals, you may also like
Qi Gong for Mental Health Within Social Prescribing: Calm the Nervous System, Not Just the Mind.

How Bright Beings Academy supports your referrals

A. UK-wide live online Qi Gong

Bright Beings Academy runs live online Korean-style Qi Gong classes on Thursdays and Sundays via Zoom. People can join from home anywhere in the UK and also access replays.

  • Fully guided, suitable for beginners

  • Options to practise standing or seated

  • Gentle pacing with clear emphasis on listening to the body

You can refer directly into:

For a social-prescribing-specific view of the online offer, see
Online Qi Gong for Social Prescribing: A UK-Wide Option for Housebound and Rural Patients.

B. Local in-person classes in New Malden and Chessington

For people in Kingston, New Malden and the surrounding Surrey area, there are in-person options alongside online classes.

New Malden – Mondays 12–1 pm (Graham Spicer Institute)

  • Gentle class aimed at over-50s and anyone wanting a softer start

  • £10 per session, chair options available

  • Warm, community feel – ideal for loneliness and confidence-building

Key pages:

Chessington / Hook Centre – Wednesdays 6.30 pm

  • Community Qi Gong at the Hook Centre, Chessington

  • Suitable for healthy ageing, balance, stress relief and gentle strength

  • Good option for working-age adults and older adults alike

Key page:

Local social prescribing guide:

For a more story-led view of how these groups support connection and belonging, you can also read
Social Prescribing, Qi Gong and Community Connection: From Loneliness to Belonging.

Evidence snapshot: Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report

Bright Beings Academy’s instructor, Peter Paul Parker, helped deliver charity-funded Ki Gong and armchair yoga sessions for older adults across New Malden, Chessington and Kingston. The Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report summarises this work.

Evidence snapshot (Brighter Living, Surrey)
Weekly Ki Gong and armchair yoga sessions reached around 100 older adults. In a small evaluation, most participants reported improved overall quality of life; 44% noticed better flexibility and ease of movement, with many also describing reduced pain, brighter mood and a renewed sense of togetherness.

You can explore the full story and data here:

These findings echo the wider research summarised in
The Science Behind Qi Gong for Social Prescribing: Pain, Breath and Mood.

If you’re considering commissioning or partnership work, you may also find
Partner with Bright Beings Academy: Qi Gong Provision for PCNs, Trusts and Local Councils
helpful.

Practical referral scenarios

Qi Gong can be especially useful when you meet people who:

  • Have chronic pain or fibromyalgia and feel unable to attempt gym-style exercise

  • Live with COPD, asthma or breathlessness and need breath-led, low-impact movement

  • Have Parkinson’s or balance concerns and need slow, repeatable exercises

  • Experience anxiety, burnout or low mood, especially when “stuck in their head”

  • Feel lonely, isolated or disconnected, and are nervous about busy or noisy spaces

You might suggest:

For mental-health-led referrals, you can pair this hub with
Qi Gong for Mental Health Within Social Prescribing: Calm the Nervous System, Not Just the Mind.

How to refer to Qi Gong at Bright Beings Academy

You can keep your referral process simple and repeatable.

  1. Check suitability

    • Confirm that gentle standing or seated movement is appropriate.

    • Encourage clients with complex or unstable conditions to check with their GP or specialist.

  2. Share the right link

  3. Suggest a realistic time frame

  4. Track simple outcomes

FAQs: Social prescribing and Qi Gong

1. Is Qi Gong safe for older adults with multiple health conditions?

In most cases, yes – when taught gently with options to sit, rest and adapt movements. Many older adults with multiple conditions took part in the Brighter Living project and still reported improved quality of life and flexibility. Clients with unstable cardiac issues, recent surgery or acute illness should check with their GP first.

2. Can people practise Qi Gong sitting down?

Yes. Movements can be performed standing or seated, and chair-friendly options are always offered in New Malden and online classes. This makes Qi Gong accessible for people with balance issues, fatigue, neurological conditions or joint pain.

3. How fit do clients need to be?

No special fitness level is required. Qi Gong is designed for people who feel stiff, tired, low in confidence or “out of shape”. Movements are slow, repetitive and low-impact, and people are encouraged to work at their own pace.

4. How many sessions should I recommend?

Research suggests benefits build when people practise regularly over weeks to months. A simple, clear recommendation is: “Try one class a week for 6–8 weeks, then review how you feel.” Your PCN or project can decide whether to fund blocks of sessions or signpost to ongoing community classes.

5. Does Qi Gong replace physiotherapy, counselling or medical care?

No. Qi Gong is a complementary practice. It does not replace medication, physiotherapy, psychological therapies or specialist care. Instead, it offers a gentle, self-directed way for people to build strength, balance, breath awareness and nervous-system regulation alongside their usual care.

6. Where can I find more detailed answers?

For a fuller set of questions and answers – including safety, access, pricing and project-level planning – please visit
FAQ: Social Prescribing and Qi Gong with Bright Beings Academy.

Further reading for link workers and commissioners

If you want to explore specific angles in more depth, the rest of the cluster includes:

Next steps

If you’re a GP, social prescribing link worker, PCN lead or community organiser, you now have three clear routes for referrals:

You may also want to keep the
Brighter Living Qi Gong Impact Report 2019–2020 (PDF)
on hand whenever you need a concise, local example of Qi Gong improving quality of life for older adults.

I look forward to connecting with you in my next post.
Until then, be well and keep shining.
Peter. :)

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Peter Paul Parker is a Meraki Guide and Qi Gong Instructor who helps empaths, intuitives, and the spiritually aware heal emotional wounds, embrace shadow work, and reconnect with their authentic selves. Through a unique blend of ancient practices, modern insights, and his signature Dream Method, he guides people towards self-love, balance, and spiritual empowerment.

Peter Paul Parker

Peter Paul Parker is a Meraki Guide and Qi Gong Instructor who helps empaths, intuitives, and the spiritually aware heal emotional wounds, embrace shadow work, and reconnect with their authentic selves. Through a unique blend of ancient practices, modern insights, and his signature Dream Method, he guides people towards self-love, balance, and spiritual empowerment.

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