Community pharmacists will now be able to refer adults with a high BMI to an NHS twelve-week online NHS weight management programme
The push to help people achieve a healthier lifestyle comes due to the rising levels of type 2 diabetes, which currently costs the NHS £10 billion a year and accounts for one in 20 GP prescriptions.
Over 50,000 adults living with obesity have already been referred to the programme by their GP.
Adults with a BMI of over 30 and a diagnosis of hypertension or diabetes will be eligible for referral to the programme. Adults from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background will be eligible with a lower BMI of 27.5 due to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Dr Bruce Warner, Deputy Chief Pharmaceutical Officer at NHS England, said: “Obesity is a significant threat to the nation’s health – it increases your chance of dying from COVID and puts you at greater risk of stroke, cancer and other deadly disease.
“The NHS’s radical action plan means it is now easier for people to take control of their health – adults with obesity can now walk into any high street community pharmacy to take the first step on a life-changing weight loss journey”.
Three in five adults in England are overweight and projections have shown that rising diabetes levels could result in 39,000 more heart attacks and 50,000 experiencing a stroke in 2035.
Robert Pettifer, a pharmacist in Warwickshire, said: “Pharmacies play a vital role in the health and wellbeing of our communities, and it’s great that we can now refer people to this new weight loss programme.
“Trained pharmacy teams can support you on a journey to a healthier lifestyle – using simple online plans”.
All pharmacies across England have a trained Healthy Living Champion who can refer people to the relevant services to help them live a healthier lifestyle.
