Positives

• Graduates of the free 12-week course often say breathlessness eases, anxiety falls and they feel “reassured and supported” after the in-person group sessions. Nuffield Health

• A participant on week 7 praised the 1-to-1 physio calls, saying staff “really understand POTS and PEM” and let patients set gentle, individualized targets. Reddit

• Several patients report that very low-intensity classes helped them raise baseline stamina when they kept heart-rate low and paced carefully. Reddit

Negatives

• Many patients with PEM/ME call the plan “marketing BS” or “complete ****,” warning graded exercise can worsen crashes. Reddit

• One patient felt good at first but relapsed hard after week 8 and said the programme “didn’t protect me from a massive crash.” Byline Times

• Another participant dropped out when group workouts triggered chest pain, migraines and post-exertional malaise. Reddit

• A member was removed minutes before their first session because staff missed POTS red-flags, calling screening “poor.” Reddit

• Critics say sessions feel generic and lack PEM education, leaving some patients feeling gas-lit or unsafe. Reddit

Hurdles & Side Effects

• Access can be slow: in Sept 2021 the charity had 900 active users and 1,600 on the waiting list. Byline Times

• Patients exploring the programme have noted that local adverts highlight "limited spaces," and the virtual-only delivery option fills quickly — meaning that what looks like a free, accessible service has practical access bottlenecks even for in-area patients Instagram Nuffield Health

• Weeks 7-12 require travel to a Nuffield gym, a barrier for house-bound or rural patients. Nuffield Health

• Entry involves lengthy questionnaires and a video triage call, which some find burdensome when fatigued. Nuffield Health

• Several attendees say cardio segments spiked heart-rate and chest pain, forcing them to scale back or stop. Reddit

• An evaluation of Welsh services noted people had to discover and self-refer to Nuffield because NHS options were limited. NHS Wales