Changing Health has today welcomed the news that thousands more people at risk of Type 2 diabetes will be supported to prevent the condition from developing, as NHS England broadens the scope of its Healthier You Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP).

The NHS DPP is the first such nationwide programme in the world, having already seen  more than 300,000 referrals. The expansion creates more places on face to face diabetes  prevention courses, and further improves access to the programme with the inclusion of a new digital stream of the Healthier You service, allowing participants to access support for prevention any time, anywhere.  

Changing Health, a provider of digital behaviour change programmes for Type 2 diabetes management, Type 2 diabetes prevention and weight management, has partnered with health services provider Ingeus, to offer participants a choice of face to face or digitally-based support.

John Grumitt, Changing Health Chief Executive, said: “With a record 12.3 million people in the UK at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, NHS England is taking action on a national scale to reverse this trend. The NHS DPP has already seen great success in improving access to diabetes prevention support – attendance rates are highest among some of the hardest to reach ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

“Today’s announcement will improve access further still, providing those participants unable to attend face to face groups with a digital intervention instead. We’re looking forward to supporting Ingeus in empowering many more people  shown to be at risk of Type 2 diabetes to make positive lifestyle changes and better manage their health.”