More people urged to sign up to NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme amid action week to combat type 2 cases
THE number of patients being referred to a scheme aimed at cutting their chances of developing type 2 diabetes is at its highest in four years.
More people are being encouraged to sign up for the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP) amid Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week, which runs until Sunday.
Between August 2022 and February this year, 5,805 patients across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight agreed to be referred by GPs to the programme.
This exceeded national targets set for the county’s integrated care system (ICS) by NHS England and was up from the previous year’s 3,905 patients, 2,340 in 2020/21 and 4,190 in 2019/20.
Conducted over nine months, the free 13 sessions are delivered by trained health and wellbeing coaches who help understand risks and advise about diet, weight management and exercise.
Andover GP Dr Paul O’Halloran, who chairs Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICS’s diabetes board, said: “Patients are offered a group-based face-to-face session in local venues or a digital app/online service along with group-based tailored remote service for patients with previous gestational diabetes mellitus, hearing, or visual impairment, or from Bangladeshi or Pakistani backgrounds.
“A lot of the success of the programme depends on how engaged patients are when they are referred.”
He continued: “Combined lifestyle interventions – including diet, physical activity and sustained weight loss – is extremely effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
“That is why we need to ensure that all who can benefit from the programme know of it and can access it.”
Someone completing the programme reduces their chances of developing type 2 diabetes by more than a third (37%), according to University of Manchester research.
Hampshire resident Claudine Weeks was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure in 2019 after a free health check when she turned 40.
Spiking at night, the high blood pressure put her at risk of having a stroke in her sleep.
Following treatment, her cholesterol is normal, her blood pressure is under control and an annual check-up showed blood sugar levels at a pre-diabetic level.
Praising the NHS support, Claudine said: “It’s a very serious condition which can have no symptoms, and is tricky to then manage and live with, so if you can prevent yourself from getting it, and are offered support on an NHS prevention programme through your GP, please do take part – it’s really worth it.”
Use the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk Score at riskscore.diabetes.org.uk
For more information about the NDPP visit preventing-diabetes.co.uk
