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Innovative Patient Care
Castlegate and Derwent Surgery is adopting a more holistic and disease preventing approach to healthcare.
Group-based education sessions focused on exercise, nutrition of diabetic or pre- diabetic condition management – a service not normally offered in a GP practice.
Led by Chronic Disease Lead Lynn Lancaster, the initiative is transforming how patients with diabetes or at risk of diabetes are supported, moving beyond traditional GP services to deliver care in a more engaging, supportive environment.
“We provide a forward-thinking service for our diabetic and at risk of diabetes patients, offering exercise, nutrition talks, and patient education sessions in a group setting,” said Lynn. “This approach helps empower patients, build confidence, and create friendships within the community whilst making the patients of Cockermouth health aware.”
Patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many benefiting not just from the education provided, but also from the peer support and sense of belonging these sessions create.
Lynn said ‘The group attending the exercise class are comfortable with us and have bonded as a group encouraging each other. Making the step to attend a gym can be intimidating this is a perfect solution and is really making our patients healthier’
‘One man had an asthma attack during the session and another a transient ischaemic attack requiring immediate medical intervention. He was sent to hospital, and they were delighted with the exercise group and additional support provided by the surgery. The hospital consultant has commended us on the initiative we have created, and they would like to see more of this happening. The patient confessed that he would have ignored his symptoms had it occurred at home, resulting in a negative outcome.
Lynn said ‘The exercise group is a high- risk group due to their chronic disease. However, exercise will improve their health and wellbeing.
Many of these services sit outside the standard General Practice contract and have been made possible through GP funding, grants, fundraising efforts and the support of local businesses.
Current services include:
- Exercise classes twice a week- ran by local Exercise and nutrition coach Jen Benbow with the support of the surgery team.
- Prediabetes education sessions
- Newly diagnosed diabetic patient talks
- Group annual reviews, with flexible access for elderly patients
- Nutrition sessions funded through a successful grant
By delivering care in groups, the surgery can reach more patients while encouraging shared learning and support.
With a national recruitment crisis affecting primary care, the dedicated team at Castlegate and Derwent Surgery are keen to highlight their commitment to innovation and the future of general practice. The surgery is currently recruiting; this demonstrates the proactive approach to health in our surgery.
“We want to show that general practice is evolving,” Lynn added. “We are developing a visionary service that meets the needs of our community—now and in the future.”
The practice is now looking to expand the project, offering to support a wider range of long-term conditions, including heart failure and respiratory disease.
Cockermouth Rotary show their support to our project.
We are incredibly grateful to Cockermouth Rotary for their generous support of our project.
Their donation of £500 will help us continue developing the initiative and make a real difference for patients in Cockermouth. Thank you for helping us move forward—your support means a great deal to everyone involved.
Future plans include
Rollout this ambitious initiative for other long-term conditions such as heart failure and respiratory disease. To reach even more of our patients in Cockermouth.
- Exercise programmes
- Expanded nutrition education
- Cookery and food preparation sessions
With support from the community and our GP partners, we hope this initiative can continue to grow. Bettering the health of our patients.
Some of our patient feedback
- Excellent exercise class varies every week. The instructor is very encouraging and it’s great to meet up with similar people to me. Everyone is very encouraging and I am feeling the benefit of the regular exercise. I hope the class continues as I would really miss it and all its benefits.
- I really enjoy coming to this class, it’s the only exercise I do at the moment. It is so friendly and everyone is just lovely. The social side is as good as exercise it gets me out. The instructor is such fun and inspiring and really makes you want to come. I love coming and it give me confidence to come out on my own which is amazing for me.
- Love the exercises, the staff are supportive and helpful. Reassuring that at whatever level we are in our personal journey that is right for you. I hope that there will be enough funding so that this group will always continue. Many thanks.
- Thank you so much for introducing the exercise session on a Tuesday evening to help and support the diabetic and pre- diabetic patients. I look forward to many more sessions. Jen is an exceptional lady and along with Lynn and Heather you certainly have our better health at
- the forefront. I hope this is the beginning of future projects we can all look forward to for a better healthy town.
- This session of general fitness has given me an excuse to meet people of an age like me and enjoy the company and friendship. I have now completed my second visit and found it is just what I have needed for a long time. We all need social events like this which I find most rewarding and improve our health.
- I have been coming to the diabetic exercise class on a Tuesday evening; this has been amazing not only for my health but my mental health as well. It has got me out talking to other people and getting out. This has been a massive benefit to me. Lynn and Heather have been excellent in organising all of this.
- This class is so welcoming, and I would never have considered going to a gym as this is totally out of my comfort zone. This class has been life changing to me and with it at the local surgery it 10/10.
- Friendly and welcoming. Interesting talk through blood results and what they mean. Very informative.
- Help’s me understand what I can and cannot do! Not aware of how my diet can knock on my health. Wake up call but at least I can make changes to change this. Well done for such a session.
Published: Apr 16, 2026