NEWS Almost one million people have been referred to the NHS DPP since it launched in 2016, with participants who complete achieving an average weight loss of 3.3kg In connection with the Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week in the UK – a joint initiative between Diabetes UK and NHS England to raise awareness of type 2 diabetes and how to reduce the risks associated with developing the condition - Liva Healthcare (Liva), a European market leader in scalable digital health coaching, and Living Well Taking Control (LWTC), a Birmingham-based non-profit organisation, are announcing additional contracts in the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP) to provide greater coverage in England. The partnership between Liva and LWTC will now provide a choice for healthcare coaching, tailored to local area needs for 14 regions in the programme and is dedicated to improving these aspects of health and well-being for citizens in the regions. The Need for A Preventative Approach to the Diabetes Epidemic The NHS spends approximately £10 billion a year on diabetes – around 10% of its entire Liva Healthcare and Living Well Taking Control Collaborate to Provide Greater Coverage and Choice to Participants as Part of the Successful NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP) budget. What is more, the number of cases of preventable conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes are rising, fuelled by the obesity epidemic. Sarah Beeby, UK Managing Director of Liva, commented: “Healthcare providers around the world are looking for solutions to combat the rise in diabetes and obesity. Historically, access to the practical and emotional support needed to make the difference has been hampered by cost and logistical obstacles. Technology holds huge potential to enable preventative care at scale, that has not yet been fully embraced. To ensure the long-term affordability of health services, like the NHS, we need to harness technology alongside coaching expertise to deliver early interventions at population scale.” The NHS is taking radical action to tackle rising obesity rates and to prevent type 2 diabetes as part of its NHS Long Term Plan, which will protect the future of the NHS and ensure it meets the UK population’s evolving healthcare needs. As part of the Plan, access to the NHS DPP has been expanded so that up to 200,000 people a year will benefit. Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme The NHS DPP was established in 2016 and aims to support people to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. People enrolled in the programme get advice on healthy eating and exercise that can prevent them developing the condition, avoiding the need for medication and complications such as amputations. Liva has been a provider of the programme since 2017, and the partnership with LWTC – which specialises in face-to-face and remote support – launched in 2019 with Liva offering a digital service to complement LWTC’s face-to-face intervention. Since 2019, the partnership has delivered diabetes prevention in six regions of England – including Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Dorset. Building on their extensive combined experience, Liva and LWTC have built a comprehensive and innovative service which offers greater programme flexibility for prediabetic people across the UK. Dr Russell Muirhead, Clinical Lead from Living Well Taking Control, said: “LWTC and Liva have developed a strong joint offer for participants at risk of developing type 2
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