Scheme set to tackle psychology of obesity

A mix of psychiatrists, physical activity specialists, occupational therapists and nutritional experts will have sessions with the patients and offer help at home.

The programme which is being run in north Derbyshire by NHS Derbyshire County, has been started after new figures revealed obesity was still a concern for medics.

About 10,000 people in the county are thought be experts to be morbidly obese, a medical condition where somebody has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 40.

Dean Wallace, an obesity health improvement specialist for NHS Derbyshire County, said: "We are trying to look at people's relationships with food – its no good just telling them to eat in a certain way.

"These people often end up opting for surgery. At the moment we can only offer them the chance to learn about their eating habits and encourage them to make changes themselves.

"But this new scheme, which begins this month, will give them help on a daily basis with one-to-one help and an individual plan with special link workers going into their homes.

"These workers will be helping to take them for that extra walk, go with them to buy healthy shopping to help them to make their home more comfortable to get around."

Mr Wallace said medical specialists will have appointments with the patients and these will be followed up by the link workers visiting them at home and ensuring they are sticking to their programmes.

GPs will be able to refer their patients onto the scheme, which will offer them assistance for a maximum of two years before they are referred onto other NHS weight management courses.

The NHS is employing two psychologists, two dieticians, two occupational therapists, and a physical activity worker who will all be part-time. The four new link workers will work full-time.