DESMOND

Desmond is a Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed.

DESMOND is the acronym for Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed. It is part of a school of patient education for people with diabetes, developed by a number of NHS Organisations.

Educators on the NHS may now be specifically trained in DESMOND.

  • DESMOND is a way to learn more about Type 2 diabetes.
  • DESMOND is a resource to help manage diabetes-related changes.
  • DESMOND is a way to meet and share life experiences with others.
  • DESMOND is a group of education programmes designed for people with diabetes.

DESMOND is an NHS organisation that helps to deliver high quality patients education to people with type 2 diabetes, or those who are at risk of diabetes.

What are the benefits for a health organisation taking on MyDESMOND?

  • Based on the award-winning, NICE-recommended DESMOND programme
  • A programme proven to reduce diabetes distress and increase self-efficacy
  • An alternative for those that would not normally engage with group education
  • or during times of national pandemic when mixing with others is not possible
  • Fulfilment of your transactional funding targets for your organisation for people with/at risk of Type 2 diabetes
  • A more informed and engaged diabetes population

Self-Referral to DESMOND:

People with diabetes can self-refer to the service by telephoning 0300 131 0300 option 1, option 4

Healthy You

Healthy You services to make lifestyle improvements and other interventions

Services available for all our patients to enable them to live better lives with support from specialist trainers/councillors

  • Several services have been created especially for our Eastern European patients.
  • Services are free and available to every patient registered with a GP Practice in Peterborough

All referrals available to our staff to refer using the Pink dot on the SystemOne toolbar – Clinical Support tools but we also have clinics provided by the Healthy You services at Thistlemoor Medical Centre.

Refer via: Clinical Support Tool on or Visit: healthyyou.org.uk/professional-referral/ Email: eh.healthyyou@nhs.net Call: 0333 005 0093 www healthyyou.org.uk

Supporting Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Health Professionals

Eastern European Health Trainer Clinics at Thistlemoor-pre-bookable

Eastern European Health Trainer clinics are available on Wednesday afternoons as face to face appointments.

  • You can book for Rasana Satiene’s screen (Healthy You) any patient who is +16years old who needs lifestyle support. This is for patients from Eastern European countries.
  • The first appt must to be booked for 1h, and follow up will be booked by Rasana for 30 minutes.
  • Jolanta Kristiene has her clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays afternoons.
  • Any patient with Long term condition especially Diabetes and hypertension, heart failure, or newly diagnosed with hypertension, etc. who is overweight or needs support to make lifestyle changes-stop smoking, need dietary advise, need support for weight reduction, etc. can be referred to these Clinics.
  • Ana Madalina Damian (also speaks Romanian) is conducting clinics on Wednesdays afternoons at Thistlemoor. You can easily to refer patients as per instructions sent previously on Clarity. I am attaching document for your reference.

In terms of the referrals for Eastern European patients, please tick or write in narrative referral box ‘ Eastern European Health Trainer’, so this task is easily identified to go to appropriate person.

Patients may be referred to Healthy You for health checks.

Help is also available to quit Smoking. Please ask our staff to make the referral for you.

Adult Health Trainers

What:

  • Up to 6 sessions of 1:1 support, across a whole year, from a Health Trainer who can help patients set realistic, health related goals. 60-minute initial assessment, 30 minutes thereafter.
  • This service can help with many elements of health such as; Healthy eating; Losing weight; Increasing physical activity; Reducing stress; Sexual health concerns.

Who for:

  • 16 + patients who want to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Tier 1 Physical Activity

What:

  • Delivered by a consortium made up of the District and City Councils, Vivacity and Living Sport
  • Information and support to individuals who want to be more physically active, whether that be to lose weight, build strength or mobility, or improve their mental or social wellbeing.
  • Support for individuals and families to eat more healthily and maintain a balanced diet.

Who for:

  • This is a universal service, suitable for all individuals and families who would like to become healthier across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Adult weight Management programme

What:

  • 12 week programme led by Nutritionists and Physical Activity Specialists – virtual and face to face offer. Each session lasts 60-90 minutes.
  • Healthy eating advice and discussions followed by an exercise-based activity session.
  • Support with setting achievable goals to help patient with positive lifestyle changes and sustainable weight loss.
  • Or a 12-week referral to Slimming World or Wellness that Works (formerly Weight Watchers)

Who for:

  • anyone 16+ with a BMI equal or greater than 25

Tier 3 Weight Management

What:

  • Delivered by Everyone Health in partnership with Cambridgeshire University Hospitals and Oviva, across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Who for:

  • Aged 18+. Must have engaged with tier-2 weight loss intervention within the two years prior to referral to tier-3 but has not been able to achieve/maintain weight loss
  • BMI 30 Kg/m2 if the patient has complex needs and had not responded to previous tier interventions,

or

  • BMI 35Kg/m2 with type 2 diabetes or BMI 40Kg/m2 • Reduce the above criteria by BMI 2.5Kg/m2 if Asian origin

Falls Prevention FaME

What:

  • Weekly group exercise classes designed to improve the patient’s physical fitness, strength and balance.
  • The exercises within the class are progressed slowly according to ability and the exercises are specifically developed to help patients feel steadier on their feet and to improve confidence.
  • A falls assessment will be completed prior to exercise

Who for:

  • Patients aged 65 or over; History of falls (injurious or non-injurious);
  • Fear of falling;
  • Feeling unstable;
  • Low bone density and/or family fracture;
  • Medically Stable with any conditions under control;
  • Use of a walking Aid

Stop smoking

What:

  • A 12-week programme – virtual and face to face offer
  • Advice from Stop Smoking practitioner who creates an individually tailored plan for every patient.
  • Guidance on choosing suitable medication and information on how to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms provided.

 Who for:

  • The Healthy You Stop Smoking Service is available for anyone from the age of 12 and upwards.
  • For young people under the age of 13, parental consent, however, will be required in order to access this service

NHS Health Checks

What:

  • An NHS Health Check records the patient’s height, weight, age, sex, ethnicity, blood pressure, cholesterol and HbA1c levels. Immediate results are shared with the patient’s GP.
  • 20-30 minutes appointments available during the day, weekend and evenings.
  • Advice on how patient can improve their health and help to get specialist support if needed.

Who for:

  • Residents aged between 40 – 74 years who haven’t had a NHS Health Check in the last 5 years

Specialist Health Trainers

  1. Mental Health Trainers
    What:
    Up to 8 sessions of 1:1 healthy lifestyle support for patients diagnosed with a mental health illness. Our Health Trainers can help the patient with many elements of their health such as
    – Healthy eating;
    – Losing weight;
    – Increasing physical activity;
    – Reducing stress; Growing a network of support; Creating more structure to their day. 60-minute Initial assessment, 45 minutes thereafter.
  2. Eastern European Health Trainers Fenland and Peterborough
    What:
    Up to 6 sessions of 1:1 healthy lifestyle support, in the patient’s national language (will engage with translator services if the Health Trainers do not speak their language), which can help the patient with many elements of health such as:
    – Healthy eating;
    – Losing weight;
    – Increasing physical activity;
    – Reducing stress; Reducing alcohol consumption. 60-minute Initial assessment, 30 minutes thereafter.
  3. Alcohol Health Trainers
    What:
    The patient can meet an Alcohol Health Trainer for up to 8 1:1 sessions for support in reducing their alcohol consumption. They can also look at other areas of behaviour change, including;
    – Healthy eating;
    – Losing weight;
    – Increasing physical activity;
    – Reducing stress. 60-minute initial assessment, 30 minutes thereafter.
  4. Carer Health Trainers Cambridgeshire
    What:
    For all adult carers who are looking after someone with long term illness or dementia. Up to 6 sessions of 1:1 healthy lifestyle support, supporting the patient with many elements of health such as;
    – Healthy eating;
    – Losing weight;
    – Increasing physical activity;
    – Reducing stress

Social Prescribers referrals

Gina Goubarn and Shamina Ladak

To refer the patient to Social Prescribing Service, you need to click on pink box (Neighbourhood Community Referrals). Choose one of the option – Social Prescribing and Health Coaches.
Find Thistlemoor & Central PCN with Gina’s name.

When you refer the patient by using the Social Prescribing template above, please also book the patient on the Social Prescriber’s weekly screen ( to process for all week) which is set up each Saturday.

This helps us to check how long the patient might wait for the contact from the service.

Very Low Calorie Diet VCLD

Patient Eligibility and Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients < 65 years
  • BMI 27-45 kg/m2
  • With T2DM < 6 years

Exclusion Criteria

  • Current insulin use
  • Weight loss of >5 kg within the last 6 months
  • Recent eGFR <30 mls/min/1.73 m2
  • Substance abuse
  • Known cancer
  • Myocardial infarction within previous 6 months
  • Severe heart failure defined as equivalent to the New
  • York Heart Association grade 3 (NYHA)
  • Learning difficulties
  • Current treatment with anti-obesity drugs
  • Diagnosed eating disorder or purging
  • Pregnant/ considering pregnancy
  • Patients who have required hospitalisation for depression or are on antipsychotic drugs 
  • Agnieszka has already sent the information to all the eligible patients- however, it is always best to discuss the option with patients who may be eligible and we will be able to recruit more patients.
  • This programme is suitable for all eligible patients with hypertension, diabetes who are interested in reversing their diabetes.
  • If you are unsure which patients are eligible, please send a task to Agnieszka for confirmation.
  • Also, if you find an eligible patient, please send her a task to refer the patient.

The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme

Information for healthcare professionals

  • Currently, general practices and community pharmacies can refer members of the public to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme.

About the programme

  • The programme offers online access to weight management services to people living with obesity who also have a diagnosis of either diabetes, hypertension, or both.
  • With three levels of support and a choice of providers, it is designed to offer service users a personalised level of support to help them manage their weight and improve longer term health outcomes.

Who can be referred?

Referrals to the programme are only for people that meet the following criteria:

  • are over the age of 18
  • have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more (adjusted to ≥27.5 for people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds)
  • have a diagnosis of diabetes (type 1 or type 2), hypertension or both.

Who cannot be referred?

  • Any person that meets any of the following exclusion criteria should not be referred to the programme:
  • recorded as having moderate or severe frailty
  • is pregnant
  • has an active eating disorder
  • has had bariatric surgery in the last two years
  • people for whom a weight management programme is considered to pose greater risk of harm than benefit.
  • For people aged over 80 years old, the referrer will need to confirm on the referral form that a weight management programme is considered likely to pose greater benefit than harm.

How the programme supports the NHS Long Term Plan

  • The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme supports the delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan commitments relating to obesity, focusing on weight management to support people living with obesity who also have a diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension or both. Obesity is a serious health concern that increases the risks of many other health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, joint problems, mental health problems and some cancers.
  • There is also evidence to suggest that people living with obesity are more likely to be admitted to hospital, intensive care and, sadly, die from COVID-19 compared to people living with a healthy body weight.
  • The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme provides weight management services flexibly, without the need for people to travel.
  • Evidence from the NHS Digital Diabetes Prevention Programme shows that digital and remote weight management services are more likely to be accessed by younger (working age) people whilst maintaining comparable results to face-to-face weight management services.
  • The programme has been designed to offer service users a personalised level of intervention to support them manage their weight, improve quality of life and improve longer term health outcomes. It works alongside and does not replace existing weight management services funded by local authorities.
  • Weight management services can provide substantial health benefits to people and can benefit the NHS by preventing future diseases, and the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme means weight management services are accessible to more people.

Referrals to Digital weight management programme from SystemOne

  • To continue making referrals and to save time by ensuring more of the patient’s information auto-populates you should now use the referral form   available on S1- ‘MLCSU Weight Management ES NHSEI V2’
  • When referring patients, please always add read code for the referral: Referral to weight management service (Y2e63).

Information for patients

How to access the programme

  • The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme could help you if you are living with obesity and also have diabetes, high blood pressure, or both. If this is you, you could benefit from this 12-week programme. It’s free and easily available via a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

How to start the programme

To start your journey to a healthier lifestyle, you need to speak to your GP

You can read more about the programme in our leaflet.

Who can be referred to the programme?

  • You must be 18 or over.
  • You must have a BMI greater than 30. The BMI threshold will be lowered to 27.5 for people from black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, as we know people from these ethnic backgrounds are at an increased risk of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI.
  • You must have diabetes, high blood pressure, or both.
  • You must have a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.
  • If you do not have diabetes or high blood pressure, you may still benefit from the NHS Better Health programme.

Weight Management

Healthy You

Adult Weight Management – Healthy You
‘FREE 12 week weight management groups for those living with learning disabilities who live in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough.’

Would you like to lose weight?

Healthy You offer a 12 week programme with 45 minutes Nutrition Workshops and 45 minutes physical activity sessions. There are lots of options to understand food choices and to help you find tasty, small changes to help you lose weight for good. We run groups with our friendly registered Nutritionists and trained Physical Activity Specialists who are fun and sociable, giving you the chance meet people who, just like you, want to get fit and lose weight.

Eligibility

  • Anyone aged 16+ who lives in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough
  • Or registered with a GP in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough.
  • Your BMI needs to be equal or greater than 25
  • If you are from a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family background your BMI needs to be above 23

Healthy You Tier 2 Weight Management Programme

Eligibility:

16 years +, BMI >=25

• 12-week Healthy You programme combining nutrition education and physical activities for 1.5 hours/week or voucher for Slimming World or WW.

 In person in some locations or virtual

Healthy You Tier 3 Specialist Weight Management Programme

Healthy You Tier 3 weight management service is a specialist service for patients with severe and complex obesity, providing an intensive level of support to patients through a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach.

It is a service for obese individuals who have not responded to previous interventions and patients are supported by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists including  a physician, consultant or GP with Special Interest in obesity ; a specialist dietitian; psychologist and physical activity specialist.

Healthy You provide three different specialist Tier 3 weight management services to ensure that we can provide a service that suits your needs.  All 3 programmes offer weight management and behaviour change support delivered by a multidisciplinary team and last for 18 months.

Eligibility:

  • have engaged with a tier-2 weight loss intervention within the two years prior to referral to tier-3 but has not been able to achieve/maintain weight loss and are
  • Aged 18 or over and
  • have a BMI 30 Kg/mwith complex needs and has not responded to previous tier interventions or
  • Or have a BMI 35 Kg/mwith co-morbidities (e.g. type 2 diabetes) or
  • have a BMI 40 Kg/m2

Please note that referrals are not accepted for patients who:

  • have active binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa
  • have active psychosis or a significant mental health disorder that would prevent engagement with the service
  • have an active Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD) including Alcohol
  • Patients who have undergone previous Bariatric Surgery

Stop Smoking Clinic

We are offering Face to Face health clinics for adults to provide advice and support to stop smoking.  The clinics are held by Healthy You Advisors at Thistlemoor Medical Centre.

Want to stop smoking? 

No one needs telling that smoking’s bad for your health (not to mention bank balance) but giving up is another matter. If you’ve tried stopping or always thought it would be too hard then our Stop Smoking service is for you. People who get help to stop are three times more likely to stop for good.

Why you should stop smoking

No matter how long you’ve been smoking, you’ll feel the benefits of giving up almost straight away. Your taste and smell will get better in just a few days, plus as your lungs clear you won’t get out of breath so quickly. If your loved ones are non-smokers, you’ll also improve their lives. And don’t forget about how much money you’ll be saving the average smoker spends over £4000 every year on smoking. That’s enough for a family holiday to America each year.

Self Referral for Stop Smoking

Stop today

If you would like to talk to someone about this service and how it can help you then please call on us on 0333 005 0093 or fill out the sign up form here

Child Immunisations

Children’s immunisation

We need to know the immunisation dates and details of your children up to age 18 years – please bring the immunisation record within 1 week of registering at the Practice so we can inform the child health department.

This might mean you have to get the details from your home country – but we need your full cooperation to get the details when requested to do so.

Childhood Immunisations

As a practice we encourage you to immunise your children against preventable diseases. We understand that parents have choice, but we would like to empower you with information to help make the decision for yourselves. We have a large team of nurses, doctors and healthcare workers who are happy to discuss this with you.

Please find a selection of resources in the form of leaflets as well as NHS information regarding immunisations

Vaccinations – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

The World Health Organisation also has resources: www.who.int/topics/immunization/en/

Please feel free to discuss this with us if you are unsure or have any questions.

Community Based Services

There are a number of community based services available to support you.

There are teams for patients with chronic lung conditions – like COPD where if you are having a flare we can organise a team to come to your house to assess you. There is the JET team (joint emergency team) who can also come to see you and see if this enables you to stay in your homes and out of hospital. If the information you give us suggests that you may benefit from these community teams we may organise these teams to help and support you in the first instance.

Services for Women

  • Pill checks: We also invite women who are taking the contraceptive pill to attend the medical centre for a yearly “pill check” and to discuss alternatives such as the implant and the coil which are long term reversible contraception methods.
  • When you are pregnant: A trained midwife is attached to the practice who provides complete maternity care in association with the doctor. If you present yourself to the practice we will inform the midwife who will contact you – she books her own appointments.
  • Cervical smear appointment: There are national screening programmes in England to screen for cervical cancer and breast cancer. All women between age 25-65 are eligible to have cervical smear which can detect early cancer or changes leading to cancer before this becomes dangerous – please keep your appointment for a smear if it has been booked.
  • Breast mammogram: Helps to detect breast cancer before it becomes obvious to you – women are sent appointments after age 50 every 3 years – please keep the appointment when you receive one.

Seasonal Flu Vaccine

  • Each year the seasonal flu vaccine is delivered after the 15th October.
  • Any patient over 65 or with asthma, COPD, diabetes, and certain heart conditions is eligible to have a flu vaccine.
  • Please look out for the announcement of this year’s flu campaign-this year the eligibility criteria will be different due to the pandemic. We will send you text message to inform you of clinic availability and link to book an appointment to attend for the vaccine.

Travel Immunisations

Thistlemoor Medical Centre does not offer travel vaccinations.

Monitoring of Chronic Conditions

  • Anyone with a condition such as hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, asthma, chronic lung problems, heart disease (previous stroke or heart attack), underactive thyroid or epilepsy are required to attend the medical centre on a regular basis (as discussed with your healthcare professional) to have any checks and investigations for you carried out.
  • Most checks for conditions are carried out on once a year to check that your symptoms are under control and you do not have any problems with your medication.
  • We will send you pre-check questionnaires and links to book an appointment to have your annual review blood tests-please make sure you return completed questionnaires. After you have had the blood tests and competed the questionnaire, we will offer you an appointment for a check with our term dedicated to long term care checks. Timing of your checks is based on when you had your previous check, because we would like to ensure you have a check every year.
  • if you would like us to arrange your check before we invite you for one, please feel free to contact us, letting us know your availability we will send you pre-check questionnaire and arrange blood tests for review, and book in your check earlier.
  • It is very important to keep these appointments when they are arranged, please notify us if you cannot attend and rebook your appointment.
  • You need to bring all your medications with you at the time of your appointment.