Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people diagnosed with diabetes.

The National Health Service Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP) is a joint commitment from NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes United Kingdom, to deliver at scale evidence based behavioural interventions for individuals identified as being at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The NHS DPP operates through a national framework of providers able to deliver a nine month structured programme of behaviour and lifestyle interventions, tailored to personal need. Local health economies select their preferred provider and work with them to ensure the content responds to the needs of the local population demographics, and to generate the referrals. The intervention is group based behavioural coaching, includes advice on the risks of diabetes and support to achieve personal goals related to a healthy weight, nutrition and reaching the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended levels of physical activity.

The NHS DPP supports people to take control of their own health to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Eligible individuals have a raised blood sugar associated with risk factors such as age, ethnicity or high Body Mass Index.

To the end of November 2016 13,383 at risk individuals had been referred to the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. By 2020 up to 100,000 individuals per year will be able to access the service.