Data on completion rates is collected for specific reference periods. Rather than looking just at a yearly comparison, completion is analysed to understand the impact of changes to the programme, such as providing a digital option for consumers. Data collected at specific reference points, such as from January 2017 to March 2019, shows a completion rate of 53%.

I thank the noble Lord for the question and pay tribute to him for his work in this area over many years. He is absolutely right. One of the challenges of this programme is that it is a nine-month course. Clearly, like many things, it was impacted by Covid, with a lack of in-person consultations and appointments. However, the silver lining to the cloud was the digital service. The course was able to move some patients on to digital services and to self-referring. One impact of that has been more people signing up to this programme.

I am not entirely sure that I can give the noble Lord what he asks for, but I suggest that he asks me a Question about progress in six months’ time. Given that the noble Lord asked this Question, I will go back to the department and see what answers we can give.

The information is not collected in the format requested as the NHS Diabetes Prevention programme is of nine months’ duration, where patients may commence support at any point during a calendar year. Completion rates are not collected on a yearly basis. However, data is collected for reference periods to identify cohorts of service users who have completed the programme within a specific time.

Providers of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme are updating session availability to support increased convenience and reduce waiting times. The support available for participants is being amended to encourage continued engagement outside of sessions such as meetings with a health coach and facilitated peer support groups.

I thank noble Lords for giving me a pause for breath; I appreciate the patience they have shown me today. The Government welcome Diabetes UK’s research in increasing our understanding of diabetes and are committed to reducing and preventing type 2 diabetes, particularly in those groups who are more at risk of developing it and face poorer outcomes. This is why the Government launched the NHS diabetes prevention programme and the healthy weight strategy to look at ways to tackle weight gain and reduce children’s exposure to high-fat and high-sugar foods, including using digital tools to reach key groups.

I first thank the noble Lord very much for his warm welcome and his modest appraisal of my performance thus far. I am told that, coming from him, that is high praise indeed; he may disagree afterwards. As he knows, the Government are committed to this, but one thing we always have to look at in introducing new laws, bans or taxes is unintended consequences. Before I came to this role, I read some research which said that there were unintended consequences of some of the sugar taxes; for example, did they force people from poorer families or poorer communities to buy alternative, cheaper brands of the same drinks with the same sugar content, or did they just take the hit to their pockets and pay more? Were the outcomes any better? When looking at some of the programmes being put in place to tackle type 2 diabetes and the taxes proposed, it is important that we make sure it is all evidence-based and work out whether there are unintended consequences. If there are, we must find other ways to make sure we tackle obesity and some of the other issues that lead to type 2 diabetes.

The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) reports on the number of people who are offered and attended structured education programmes within 12 months of diabetes diagnosis. Data on the completion of structured education is not available within the NDA.

The number of people who were offered and attended structured education within 12 months of being diagnosed with diabetes in 2016, by diabetes type in England can be found in the following table.

Notes:

1. Diabetes type is reported as ‘Type 1’ and ‘Type 2 and other’ within the NDA.
1. ‘Type 1’ includes where a person is recorded as having type 1 diabetes in the NDA.
2. ‘Type 2 and other’ includes where a person is recorded as having type 2 diabetes, Maturity-onset Diabetes of the Young, other or non-specified diabetes in the NDA.
2. Based on people who appear in the 2017-18 NDA who have a primary care record and a diabetes diagnosis in the calendar year 2016.

NHS England are working to reduce inequalities and widen routes of access to structured education by offering digital self-management support programmes which can offer a more flexible option, particularly for those of working age. These include:

- Access to Healthy Living for People with type 2 Diabetes (HeLP Diabetes) which is an evidenced online self-management tool for those with type 2 diabetes. This will be centrally funded, by NHS England and made available nationally, with implementation starting later this year. The intention is for HeLP Diabetes to be offered to both the newly-diagnosed and prevalent populations, supporting those living with type 2 diabetes at the point of diagnosis and on an ongoing basis;

- NHS England has made £2 million available through the NHS Test Bed Programme to implement and evaluate digital delivery models for self-management education for people living with type 2 diabetes; and

- Clinical commissioning groups who are in receipt of transformation funding have been supported by NHS England to increase uptake of structured education by use of funding to commission digital services where it has been agreed that this would best meet the needs of the local population.

Further to the commitments in the NHS Long Term Plan, the National Implementation Framework, is to be published in the spring, which will provide further information on how the NHS Long Term Plan will be implemented. This will set out further detail on how the National Health Service will further expand provision of structured education and the pace at which local systems will widen provision and routes of access.

The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) reports on the number of people who are offered and attended structured education programmes within 12 months of diabetes diagnosis. Data on the completion of structured education is not available within the NDA.

The number of people who were offered and attended structured education within 12 months of being diagnosed with diabetes in 2016, by diabetes type in England can be found in the following table.

Notes:

1. Diabetes type is reported as ‘Type 1’ and ‘Type 2 and other’ within the NDA.
1. ‘Type 1’ includes where a person is recorded as having type 1 diabetes in the NDA.
2. ‘Type 2 and other’ includes where a person is recorded as having type 2 diabetes, Maturity-onset Diabetes of the Young, other or non-specified diabetes in the NDA.
2. Based on people who appear in the 2017-18 NDA who have a primary care record and a diabetes diagnosis in the calendar year 2016.

NHS England are working to reduce inequalities and widen routes of access to structured education by offering digital self-management support programmes which can offer a more flexible option, particularly for those of working age. These include:

- Access to Healthy Living for People with type 2 Diabetes (HeLP Diabetes) which is an evidenced online self-management tool for those with type 2 diabetes. This will be centrally funded, by NHS England and made available nationally, with implementation starting later this year. The intention is for HeLP Diabetes to be offered to both the newly-diagnosed and prevalent populations, supporting those living with type 2 diabetes at the point of diagnosis and on an ongoing basis;

- NHS England has made £2 million available through the NHS Test Bed Programme to implement and evaluate digital delivery models for self-management education for people living with type 2 diabetes; and

- Clinical commissioning groups who are in receipt of transformation funding have been supported by NHS England to increase uptake of structured education by use of funding to commission digital services where it has been agreed that this would best meet the needs of the local population.

Further to the commitments in the NHS Long Term Plan, the National Implementation Framework, is to be published in the spring, which will provide further information on how the NHS Long Term Plan will be implemented. This will set out further detail on how the National Health Service will further expand provision of structured education and the pace at which local systems will widen provision and routes of access.

The National Diabetes Audit (NDA) reports on the number of people who are offered and attended structured education programmes within 12 months of diabetes diagnosis. Data on the completion of structured education is not available within the NDA.

The number of people who were offered and attended structured education within 12 months of being diagnosed with diabetes in 2016, by diabetes type in England can be found in the following table.

Notes:

1. Diabetes type is reported as ‘Type 1’ and ‘Type 2 and other’ within the NDA.
1. ‘Type 1’ includes where a person is recorded as having type 1 diabetes in the NDA.
2. ‘Type 2 and other’ includes where a person is recorded as having type 2 diabetes, Maturity-onset Diabetes of the Young, other or non-specified diabetes in the NDA.
2. Based on people who appear in the 2017-18 NDA who have a primary care record and a diabetes diagnosis in the calendar year 2016.

NHS England are working to reduce inequalities and widen routes of access to structured education by offering digital self-management support programmes which can offer a more flexible option, particularly for those of working age. These include:

- Access to Healthy Living for People with type 2 Diabetes (HeLP Diabetes) which is an evidenced online self-management tool for those with type 2 diabetes. This will be centrally funded, by NHS England and made available nationally, with implementation starting later this year. The intention is for HeLP Diabetes to be offered to both the newly-diagnosed and prevalent populations, supporting those living with type 2 diabetes at the point of diagnosis and on an ongoing basis;

- NHS England has made £2 million available through the NHS Test Bed Programme to implement and evaluate digital delivery models for self-management education for people living with type 2 diabetes; and

- Clinical commissioning groups who are in receipt of transformation funding have been supported by NHS England to increase uptake of structured education by use of funding to commission digital services where it has been agreed that this would best meet the needs of the local population.

Further to the commitments in the NHS Long Term Plan, the National Implementation Framework, is to be published in the spring, which will provide further information on how the NHS Long Term Plan will be implemented. This will set out further detail on how the National Health Service will further expand provision of structured education and the pace at which local systems will widen provision and routes of access.

The NHS Long Term Plan builds on the success of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme and diabetes treatment services and will provide a targeted support offer to patients with both obesity and type 2 diabetes, or with obesity and hypertension. The services will be provided in local communities and an implementation plan is currently under development.

NHS England plans to increase access to services in secondary care for those with severe obesity. This will include the testing of very low calorie diets.

NHS England, with its partners working in public health and diabetes, will help to ensure nutrition has a greater place in professional education. This will ensure that clinical staff have the skills and confidence to support patients in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.