Oviva has been awarded the prestigious Diabetes UK conference award for outstanding contribution to the evaluation of education and self-management in diabetes care.

Selected as first out of hundreds of submissions from across the country, this demonstrates the transformational potential of digital solutions in improving health outcomes within the NHS.

The Oviva Diabetes Support programme provides people with type 2 diabetes remote, specialist care from a dietitian over the telephone or using a smartphone app, as well as access to an online learning portal to learn more about their condition. This has been shown to help people with type 2 diabetes improve their health and in turn, supports the NHS to save costs over the longer-term due to a reduction in preventable complication rates and medication needs, reducing pressure on stretched NHS resources.

Designed and tested by specialist clinicians, technology experts and patients, Oviva Diabetes Support provides patients with personalised support without the hassle of having to attend regular face-to-face group sessions or clinic appointments. The Oviva app allows patients to receive support from their dietitian and record their food intake with photos, weight, and activity and access a range of evidence-based videos, podcasts and meal plans to help them manage their condition.

Findings presented at the conference demonstrated how this innovative approach is transforming care for people with diabetes in 18 NHS regions, with 70% of those invited attending, compared to traditional face-to-face education programmes reporting uptakes of between 5-30% nationally. This means many more people access the information and support they need to manage their health.

Patients accessing the service have been supported to achieve significant improvements in their health. On average, people lost nearly 5% of their body weight and significantly reduced their blood glucose levels. In fact, of those who complete the 3-month programme, 26% put their diabetes into remission, whereby their blood glucose levels are the same as someone who doesn’t have the condition, dramatically reducing their risk of developing complications in the future.

Kathryn Kirchner, Clinical Advisor at Diabetes UK, said:

“Diabetes is the most devastating and fastest growing health crisis of our time, affecting more people than any other serious health condition in the UK. Diabetes UK recognises how important it is that people with diabetes can access technology like the Oviva Diabetes Support programme, to help them understand and self-manage their condition more effectively. It’s for this reason we’ve awarded Oviva Diabetes Support with our Diabetes UK conference award for outstanding contribution to the evaluation of education and self-management in diabetes care.”

Lucy Jones, Clinical Director of Oviva, said:

“The UK public are busier than ever and we often find it hard to prioritise routine health checks and programmes. Thankfully, Oviva’s technology means we can deliver nutritional and psychological professionals to patients in their pocket, allowing video calls, text messaging coaching and digital materials like videos and podcasts to be accessed at a time that suits them. We offer high frequency of support, allowing people to achieve meaningful and sustainable lifestyle changes, which has the potential to dramatically alter the trajectory of their future health”.

Oviva Diabetes Support is one of 37 high impact, evidence-based innovations currently being supported by the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA). More information about NIA Fellow, Olivia Hind, is available here.