New mobile app to help people with Type 2 diabetes

Partha Kar, diabetes consultant and clinical lead at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham

The Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) covering Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Havant have joined up with Queen Alexandra Hospital to offer the new programme to patients.

Funded and backed by the Solent Diabetes Association, people will be able to use the app to help them lose weight, improve their fitness and eat healthier food.

It comes as around one third of people are at risk of getting Type 2 diabetes due to their unhealthy lifestyles.

A screenshot from the OurPath app which will help people with type 2 diabetes manage their health

Of those with the condition, only 14 per cent attend programmes available to them to improve their health.

But the CCGs hope this new app will encourage people to make the changes needed.

Partha Kar, a diabetes consultant at QA Hospital, said: ‘This is a fabulous example of a local charity joining hands with the NHS to try and deliver care in a modern setting.

‘We look forward to its progress and most importantly results to help us design care for the population in the future.’

type 2 diabetes app rep ep

Caption: Screenshots of the OurPath app which will help people with type 2 diabetes manage their health. — type 2 diabetes app rep ep Caption: Screenshots of the OurPath app which will help people with type 2 diabetes manage their health.

Patients are referred to take part in the three-month OurPath programme helping them track improvements in their weight, steps and sleep.

Online groups of up to 10 people are guided through the programme’s nutritional advice and educational content by a dedicated health-coach.

Professor Ken Shaw, medical advisor and co-director of the Solent Diabetes Association, said: ‘Maintaining motivation of the necessary lifestyle adjustment for optimal management of Type 2 diabetes is never easy.

‘But with this modern and innovative approach, using the latest educational benefits of social media communication, implementing a friendly “nudge” factor, we feel confident this programme will provide significant dividend for people tackling their daily diabetes discipline.

‘The Solent Diabetes Association is delighted to sponsor this project for the benefit of the diabetes population.’

In Portsmouth, 9,255 people are diagnosed with diabetes while in Fareham and Gosport 9,347 people are diagnosed.

Havant has the highest number of cases with 10,271 diagnosed.

Chris Edson, co-founder and chief executive of OurPath, said: ‘We truly believe digital innovation can help address the challenges faced by the NHS.

‘We’re delighted to be demonstrating how technology can make behavioural interventions more engaging, more scalable, and more integrated into people’s lives.’