Free Weight Management Course for Patients
Last year we were happy to share a new, free service to help people in Newcastle lose weight.
We are now delighted to say that the service has been renewed until at least the end of 2023 and to share some of its success.
Anyone over 18 living in Newcastle can sign up directly without needing a Doctor to refer them. The course is 100% funded by the NHS, so joining is entirely free.
Read on below for the full story, or jump to sections using the buttons.
What is it?
The course is called Tier 2 Weight Management and is provided by Oviva on behalf of the NHS.
It’s a 12-week programme designed to help you manage your weight, develop new habits, and become more confident in managing your health.
When you sign up, you’ll answer some questions, and a personalised plan will be created.
The course is done remotely, with phone calls and secure online messages through the Oviva app.
You still get personal support from a real person, either your own specialist coach and one-to-one sessions or as part of a coach-led group. You can decide which you would prefer.
How it works
Oviva describes the programme as psychological and nutritional support, helping you achieve a healthy diet, a healthy body, and a healthy mind.
Health Coaches and Dietitians can help you understand more about what we eat and why and how lifestyle changes can help us.
Along with the coaching, you can use Oviva’s digital tools – app and website – to track food and activity and monitor your progress.
Successes
The programme has been available to people aged 18 and older in Newcastle since early 2022.
Recent statistics show that 75% of people who sign up complete the course, and 28% manage to lose at least 5 per cent of their body weight.
On average, people lose 10.8kg – over one and a half stone – after completing the programme.
On the strength of those results, the NHS in Newcastle has agreed to extend funding for the course until at least the end of 2023.
Signing Up
You can sign up directly via the Oviva website. You do not need to be seen by a Doctor first or ask the practice to refer you.
There only qualifiers are that you must be:
- Aged 18 or over
- Not pregnant
- Motivated to change your lifestyle
Click or tap the button below to sign up or find out more.
What is Oviva?
Oviva provides NHS services, including dietitians, diabetes specialist nurses and health coaches. They specialise in using technology to make care more convenient and accessible.
They have developed innovative programs which help people lose weight, manage different stages of diabetes, and improve their nutrition and overall health.
Oviva is CQC-register and commissioned by the NHS. Their services are available to patients for free in 40% of the UK.