Two digital health providers have been appointed to help deliver a new weight management service for people across Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country.
Healum and DDM Health have been appointed following a procurement process to support the BRIDGE programme, which aims to improve access to weight management support and help people living with obesity to improve their health.
The three-year programme is being led by Birmingham and Solihull and Black Country Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and is being managed by Health Innovation West Midlands.
Independent grant funding has been provided by Eli Lilly and Company Limited in addition to the funding contributed by the Department for Science Innovation and Technology. The programme is being delivered through Innovate UK as part of the National Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme (OPIP).
The new service will use digital technology to make it easier for people to access support and get the right help for their needs.
Support will include advice and support to help people make healthy changes, clinical assessment and, where appropriate, weight management medicines.
The programme will focus particularly on people who can face greater barriers to getting support, including children and young adults living with severe obesity, people with serious mental illness and people who need to lose weight before orthopaedic surgery.
Dr Jonathan Hazlehurst, Consultant Endocrinologist, University Hospitals Birmingham and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at University of Birmingham, said: “Appointing Healum and DDM Health is an important step forward for the BRIDGE programme.
“We want to make it easier for people to get the right support with their weight and health, in a way that works for them.
“By bringing together digital services, clinical care and community support, we hope to reach more people and provide support that is easier to access and better connected.”
The service is being designed with local people and communities to make sure it meets their needs. Community Connexions will support this work, helping people to have their say on how the service develops.
The University of Birmingham will also independently evaluate the programme to understand how well the new approach works and what difference it makes for people using the service.
Healum and DDM Health will work with NHS, academic and community partners as the service is developed and rolled out.
The service will be introduced in stages, with further information about who can access the service and how to access it shared as the rollout progresses. Patients should not come forward or approach their GP practice about this program at this stage.
