Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes GP practices lead the way in supporting patients living with type 2 diabetes

Patients living with type 2 diabetes are being offered access to an innovative Healthy Living Programme to help manage their symptoms.

GP practices in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes are leading the way in supporting patients living with the disease by launching the free online service.

The service is designed to provide advice and information with GPs across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes asked to identify patients with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis and send them a text message encouraging them to register on the Healthy Living website.

To date around 32,000 texts have been sent to patients in the area – with impressive results.

Data up until the end of January 2023 shows patient registration numbers have risen from 179 to 3,231, which equates to more than an 18-fold increase in registrations.

Nicky Poulain, Chief Primary Care Officer for Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said: “The Healthy Living Programme is an excellent example of how technology can be used to support patients in managing their conditions effectively.

“By providing structured education and support, the programme can help patients with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis to better understand their condition and learn how to self-manage effectively.

“By encouraging GP practices in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes to promote the programme to patients, we have seen a fantastic 18-fold increase in registrations, which should make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of local people.”

For more information and to register, visit the website here