Xyla hits 850,000 referrals for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week

This week, Xyla’s Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme received its 850,000^th referral since the company started running the programme in 2016. 

About the programme

In a typical month, Xyla receives around 10,000 referrals to the programme from GP surgeries and individuals across England. The free programme is open to those who have been diagnosed as prediabetic (this means having a raised blood glucose level) or who had diabetes during pregnancy (also known as gestational diabetes). The programme is delivered face-to-face or online via an app. Remote groups are also available via Teams for those with hearing difficulties and in a range of languages including Hindi, Punjabi and Gujurati. 

Last year the company ran a total of 1680 face-to-face groups across the country, each with an average of about 15-25 service users. The groups are led by qualified and experienced Health and Wellbeing Coaches and extend for 13 sessions over nine months. Each session lasts an hour and a half and covers topics such as diet, exercise, stress management and sleep. 

Words from our Head of Diabetes Services

Naomi Jones, Head of Diabetes Services at Xyla, comments: “We are incredibly proud to have received our 850,000th referral, marking an astonishing milestone. The Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is a world-leading preventative health initiative. By participating in the programme, individuals diagnosed with prediabetes and those with a history of gestational diabetes give themselves the best possible chance of preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes. This is crucial as type 2 diabetes can lead to severe complications such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss, kidney failure, nerve damage, and amputations.” 

She continues: “Our programme is delivered by dedicated coaches who are passionate about health. They assist service users in overcoming barriers that often prevent people from making sustainable lifestyle changes. We must also acknowledge the entire team behind this achievement, including our referrals team who process all our referrals, our Patient Support Team who handle patient queries and bookings, our operations team who plan our face-to-face activities, our Delivery Team Leaders who support our coaches, our Multi Disciplinary Team who design the programme, and our Regional Managers and Engagement Leads who provide vital support to primary care and Integrated Care Boards. Each of these individuals plays a critical role in making this vital initiative a success.” 

Making referrals

Those with prediabetes can be referred to the programme by their GP. If they have their blood glucose, or HbA1c, reading and it was taken within the last 12 months and is between 42–47 mmol/mol, they can refer themselves here, or they can call us on 0333 5773010. Those who have a history of gestational diabetes are at higher risk of type two diabetes. Up to 50% of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within five years. They do not need a blood test to join the programme and can refer themselves here or call us on the number above (they should state that they have a history of gestational diabetes). 

Regions we cover

Xyla runs the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in 15 Integrated Care Boards across England, including: