You can refer a patient or client into the Live Life Better Derbyshire service and the Exercise by Referral scheme by completing an online referral form

Patients can also refer themselves directly onto the Live Life Better programme by filling in the online self-assessment or by calling us for free on 0800 085 2299 or 01629 538200.

These are some of the issues currently facing our residents and the challenges for health and social care professionals:

  • 66% adults are considered to be either overweight or obese in Derbyshire
  • 11% of Derbyshire residents smoke
  • 29.4 % of people in Derbyshire do not carry out their recommended levels of exercise each week
  • 56.4% of people eat the recommended 5-a-day
  • 51,694 residents have type 2 diabetes and a further 70,000 are thought to be at risk of developing it

Services on offer to help

Live Life Better Derbyshire is Derbyshire County Council’s healthy lifestyles service that aims to help people make structured, long term changes to improve their health.

This includes free support to stop smoking, lose weight and get more active.

Service eligibility criteria

Our free services are available for anyone who lives in Derbyshire (excluding Derby City) or is registered with a Derbyshire GP.

Stop smoking service

Clients need to be aged 12 and over and currently smoking tobacco products to access the stop smoking service.

Clients cannot receive support from our service if they are only using vapes as they are classed as a non-smoker.

Weight management service

Clients need to be aged 18 years old or over to access our weight management service.

They must have a BMI of 25+

Or a BMI of 23+ if your patient is of Black or Asian ethnicity

Physical activity service

People need to be aged 18 or over to access the physical activity service.

Clients are only eligible for support if they are currently engaging in less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week or experiencing low levels of mental wellbeing. Their mental wellbeing levels are measured by the Live Life Better Derbyshire Health and Wellbeing Assessment.

Exercise by Referral

The Exercise by Referral scheme is also available to people who meet the eligibility criteria.

This is a comprehensive, 12 week programme of exercise supported by qualified exercise referral staff and is carried out at local leisure centres.

The service aims to increase exercise and activity for people wanting to improve their health.

It is particularly aimed at people with eligible, pre-existing medical conditions who currently do little or no physical activity but are motivated to do more.

In order to take part in the scheme people must be referred by a GP or other qualified health professional and must meet the criteria below.

Your patients are eligible for the Exercise by Referral scheme if they are:

  • aged 19 or over
  • a Derbyshire resident or registered with a Derbyshire GP
  • inactive, for example doing less than 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week
  • have not been previously referred into the programme

Eligible health conditions for referral into the programme are:

  • controlled diabetes type 1 and 2
  • controlled hypertension systolic less then 180 and diastolic less than 100 mmHg
  • hyperlipidaemia
  • controlled COPD/emphysema/bronchiectasis or pulmonary fibrosis
  • musculoskeletal conditions: joint replacement, simple non-mechanical low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis
  • stroke/TIA
  • diagnosed and stable mental health condition
  • undergone a NHS Health Check and identified with a CVD risk of greater than 20%
  • cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, chronic heart failure, heart surgery*
  • completed phase III cardiac rehabilitation programme
  • cancer: pre-, undergoing- and post-treatment and has received a cancer diagnosis within last 5 years

*Please note: For all Cardiovascular Disease referrals an additional BACPR GP Referral Transfer For” will be required to be completed by the referrer to ensure that the leisure team have the full client information.

Please request this form by emailing the hub team: ASCH.LLBD.INFO@derbyshire.gov.uk

Anyone who is referred but does not meet the criteria will not be accepted onto the scheme.

However, they could be offered alternative support through our Live Life Better Derbyshire programme and leisure providers but these may not be free of charge.

You can refer a patient or client into the Live Life Better Derbyshire service and the Exercise by Referral scheme by completing an online referral form.

For all Cardiovascular referrals please email ASCH.LLBD.INFO@derbyshire.gov.uk for the transfer form.