Behavioural change experts Changing Health has unveiled its game changing digital platform, designed to tackle Type 2 diabetes in the UK. Consisting of a number of evidence based programmes, the platform places an emphasis on behaviour change at scale and has been implemented for the first time this by NHS England.
Changing Health’s partnership with NHS England will see the largest ever roll out of free digital support for people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which currently costs the NHS around £8.8 billion a year. With 3.4 million people in the UK living with Type 2 diabetes and an additional 200,000 people being diagnosed every year, the programme will empower hundreds of thousands of people across the UK to live healthier lives.
The partnership will allow the NHS to offer its patients highly personalised support to make positive lifestyle changes and crucially, sustain them over the long term. Changing Health’s online platform will deliver this behaviour change service across the UK. Applying the best in evidence based education with innovative technology designed to provide personalisation at scale.
Once a person has been referred to the programme by their primary care team, they are given access to information and tracking tools online, on their mobile, tablet or PC.
Professor Mike Trenell, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Changing Health said: “This partnership is a massive accomplishment for us and underpins how we’re able to take the very best in academia and scale it to thousands of people. As the single most costly medical condition, Type 2 diabetes has long been a drain on NHS resources, and we believe this approach will enable them to deliver highly personalised support at scale. We look forward to working with insurers and international markets in the coming months and years to replicate this offering.”
Professor Jonathan Valabhji, National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity for NHS England said: “Living with Type 2 diabetes is a daily challenge for millions, as well as a growing issue for our NHS, which is why the Long Term Plan for the health service sets out ambitious, innovative and evidence backed measures to prevent and manage the condition. We are living in an increasingly digital age with people managing most aspects of their lives online, the rollout of this programme will give people the opportunity to get support for their Type 2 diabetes online too.”
Founded in 2015 by Professor Mike Trenell and Chief Executive Officer, John Grumitt, Changing Health is a spin out company from Newcastle University bringing together the best in behavioural science and digital by offering organisations both the technology and programmes to improve health outcomes for those who need it. The firm has been adopted by 30 Clinical Commissioning Groups and is a digital provider of the NHS National Diabetes Programme.