Changing Health’s behaviour change programme for diabetes is now available for the 150,000 people in Greater Manchester living with Type 2 diabetes. This is part of a suite of digital resources to help them better manage their condition and live healthier lives.
The NHS England and Innovate UK funded initiative makes diabetes support available from a range of providers any time, anywhere via a one-stop shop web platform, Greater Manchester Diabetes My Way. Users will benefit from digital education on lifestyle and personalised, one-to-one behaviour coaching, delivered by Changing Health, alongside tools for easier sharing of glucose monitoring data and care records with healthcare professionals.
The scheme was launched with the aim of giving people with diabetes all the skills and knowledge they need to play a more active role in managing their condition, by adopting positive diet and exercise habits and learning how to maintain lifestyle changes over the long term.
Diabetes support in Greater Manchester has in the past been limited to classroom education programmes, which are often inaccessible for those unable to travel or take time off work, or who have learning difficulties. Digital tools overcome these challenges, and in some cases, have been shown to improve uptake of diabetes support by more than 500%.
In addition to improving the support on offer for people with diabetes, the initiative is also likely to deliver significant cost savings for healthcare delivery in Greater Manchester, with fewer complications arising from the condition, fewer hospitalisations and fewer A&E attendances.
John Grumitt, Changing Health Chief Executive, says of the initiative, “It’s great to be selected as one of the Greater Manchester Diabetes My Way providers and build on the evidence that with access to the right support, people with diabetes can make big changes in their lives and manage their condition more effectively. Health Secretary Matt Hancock shared his vision last week of delivering more patient-centric care, facilitated by digital tools. Greater Manchester Diabetes My Way will play a key role in making that vision a reality. We know that a large proportion of people with Type 2 diabetes want to make a change in their lives – but often, they simply aren’t sure how best to go about it. This initiative aims to change that. Where previous behavioural interventions faced some major practical and financial challenges, today’s launch is a win-win: people with diabetes are empowered to sustain long-term lifestyle changes, while healthcare providers benefit from better communication with their patients, better health outcomes and a lesser administrative burden.”
Naresh Kanumilli, Strategic Clinical Networks Clinical Lead for Diabetes, adds, “This has the potential to be a real game-changer in Greater Manchester. With a large and growing Type 2 diabetes population, we need to adapt to the modern world and harness the power of new digital technology to embrace changes in how we support people living with diabetes.”
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