Capital hosts four of the 27 areas in England in the first wave of sites ready to offer the world’s first nationwide Diabetes Prevention Programme.

Londoners at high risk of Type 2 diabetes will be invited to join a programme helping them avoid developing the condition as a new national scheme launches in London. These areas include South London and central parts of East and North London led by Newham, Camden and Hammersmith and Fulham – see full list of London areas.

These areas form part of the 27 to launch across the country as part of the national Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme looking to help people at high risk of the condition change their lifestyles.

GPs across the region expect to begin to refer people they know to be at high risk during 2016.

Those referred will get tailored, personalised help to reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes including education on healthy eating and lifestyle, help to lose weight and bespoke physical exercise programmes, all of which together have been proven to reduce the risk of developing the disease.

The nationwide programme will start this year with a first wave of 27 areas covering 26 million people, half of the population, and making up to 20,000 places available. This will roll out to the whole country by 2020 with 100,000 referrals available each year after.

Anne Rainsberry, Regional Director for NHS England (London), said: “Across the capital, there are currently 475,000 peo­ple living with diabetes, with a further 200,000 people estimated to be diagnosed with the condition by 2025. It’s great news that Londoners who are at risk will have this opportunity to make positive, healthier changes to their lifestyles through the National Diabetes Prevention Programme. It’s also good to see CCGs and local authorities working closely together to make a real difference to local people.”

Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for PHE in London, said: “Diabetes is one of London’s biggest health challenges, affecting almost half a million Londoners. This programme for people at risk will offer personalised support on improving lifestyle habits, including getting more exercise, a better balanced diet and losing excess weight – helping people to take more control of their health and ultimately prevent them developing what is a potentially life threatening condition.”

There are currently 2.6 million people with Type 2 diabetes in England with around 200,000 new diagnoses every year. While Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and is not linked to lifestyle, Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable through lifestyle changes.

One in 6 of all people in hospital have diabetes – while diabetes is often not the reason for admission, they often need a longer stay in hospital, are more likely to be re admitted and their risk of dying is higher.

Over nine months patients will be offered at least 13 education and exercise sessions of one to two hours per session, at least 16 hours face to face or 1 to 1 in total.

Simon Stevens NHS England’s CEO said: “Around 500 people every day find out they’ve got type 2 diabetes – a serious but often preventable health condition. By offering targeted support for at-risk individuals, the NHS is now playing our part in the wider campaign against obesity – which is already costing the country more than we spend on the police and fire service combined.

“The benefits for patients will show up as hospitalisations prevented, strokes avoided and amputations averted. This programme is a reminder that the ‘H’ in NHS stands for health.”

Healthier You: the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is run collaboratively by NHS England, Public Health England and Diabetes UK.

In a phased approach the 27 areas will open their doors to patients in the next few months and throughout 2016.

Chris Askew, Diabetes UK Chief Executive, said: “That people in England identified at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes will be offered personalised support to help them to eat well, become more active and maintain a healthy weight is therefore a significant step in the right direction. This will provide them with the best possible chance of reducing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and living a long full healthier life.”

Four providers have been chosen to join the NHS Provider Framework and local health services will work with their chosen provider/s to deliver a service for their area.

The first wave sites were chosen as they already had significant infrastructure in place to support volumes of referrals from the start.

Three quarters of clinical commissioning groups joined forces with local authorities to bid to become part of the first wave and will now work with providers to develop a service over the next few months.

The NHS DPP was launched in March 2015, initially in seven ‘demonstrator’ sites which have been trialling different models of finding people known to be at high risk and helping them change their lifestyles.

Learning has been taken from these sites to inform the programme.

London’s areas:

Newham-led bid

• Newham CCG
• NHS City and Hackney CCG
• Tower Hamlets CCG
• Waltham Forest CCG
• London Borough of Newham
• London Borough of Hackney
• Corporation of the City of London
• Tower Hamlets Local Authority
• London Borough of Waltham Forest

Southwark-led bid

• London Borough of Southwark
• NHS Southwark CCG
• NHS Bexley CCG
• NHS Lewisham CCG
• NHS Bromley CCG
• NHS Lambeth CCG
• NHS Greenwich CCG
• NHS Kingston CCG
• NHS Wandsworth CCG
• NHS Merton CCG
• NHS Croydon CCG
• NHS Sutton CCG
• NHS Richmond CCG
• London Borough of Lewisham
• London Borough of Bexley
• Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Wandsworth Borough Council
• London Borough of Merton
• Croydon Council
• London Borough of Sutton
• London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
• Royal Borough of Kingston
• Lambeth Borough Council
• London Borough of Bromley

West London

• CWHHE CCGs, including Central London, West London, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow and Ealing
• London Borough of Ealing
• Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
• Hammersmith & Fulham Council
• London Borough of Hounslow
• City of Westminster Council

Camden-led bid

• NHS Camden CCG
• NHS Islington CCG
• NHS Haringey CCG
• London Borough of Camden
• Islington Council
• Haringey Council

List of 27 areas:

1. Newham
2. West London
3. Oldham
4. East Midlands
5. Camden
6. Sefton
7. Leeds
8. Worcestershire
9. North West Cheshire
10. Cumbria
11. Dudley
12. St Helens
13. North East Lincolnshire
14. East and North Hertfordshire
15. Bury
16. Berkshire
17. Norfolk and Norwich
18. Rochdale
19. Southwark
20. Essex
21. South East
22. Birmingham
23. Derbyshire
24. Herefordshire
25. Cambridge and Peterborough
26. Durham Dales
27. Sheffield