NHS Digital Weight Management FAQs

Oviva is a leading provider of NHS services, combining the support of dietitians, diabetes specialist nurses, health coaches and psychologists with technology to make healthcare more convenient and accessible to all.

We blend behaviour change therapy with our unique technology and incredible team to support people to improve their health and better manage their conditions. We partner exclusively with the NHS to offer our programmes across the UK to participants for free. To put it simply, we help people lead healthier and happier lives.

NHS Digital Weight Management is a free, remote service to support and transform participants health and improve their weight management. The programme offers one to one coaching from a personal health coach via phone or app appointments.

The programme aims to support participants in losing weight, improving health and make sustainable lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of health complications and feel more confident managing your health even after the programme ends.

There is also an online web portal participants can use for self-led learning as well as the Oviva app for ongoing self-monitoring and secure communication with your coach and the Oviva Connect peer support group.

After confirming eligibility and discussing the service with your patient please complete the referral form which is embedded into your clinical system. Eligible participants will then be triaged depending on their initial assessment and offered the choice of provider. 

The self-referral route is not available for the NHS Digital Weight Management programme. Participants must be referred via their GP practice.

If patients don’t have a smartphone, or would prefer to access an offline programme they can have their appointments through telephone calls and we can provide them with a printed Learn guidebook. Patients are in control of how they’d like to take part and so they can interact with the programme in the best way for them.

Patients will receive regular contact with their coach, however the frequency varies depending on the patient’s pathway.

• People aged 18 or over
• People who are not pregnant
• People with a BMI greater than 30. The BMI threshold will be lowered to 27.5 for people from black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, as we know people from these ethnic backgrounds are at an increased risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI
• People with a confirmed diagnosis of diabetes, high blood pressure or both
• People with a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access
• Those who are motivated to change their lifestyle and can commit to the 12 week programme
• Registered in an area where Oviva is available

Participants will receive 12 weeks of personalised support and will have access to the Oviva app where they  can track their progress, food and activity and communicate with their coach. 

Throughout the 12 week programme, new learning modules and resources on Oviva Learn will be available for patients to read, watch and listen. This will provide them with information on how to best manage their dietary approach and with making long-term changes to their lifestyle.

The NHS Digital Weight Management service is a 12 week programme.

Average weight loss on the NHS Digital Weight Management programme is 3.6kg.

All Oviva dietitians are registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council and our nutritionists are AfN registered. All members of the team undergo regular quality assurance reviews and receive regular training from our Lead Dietitians and Psychologist.