New government funding was made available for additional tier 2 weight management provision. Tier 2 services are delivered by local community weight management services, and provide community-based diet, nutrition, lifestyle and behaviour change advice usually in a group setting. Blackburn and Darwen took a collaborative approach and 4 local organisations are working in partnership, each providing services for a particular demographic.

Healthy Living have a track record in working with ethnic minority groups, particularly South Asian heritage women, so it is this group that our work focusses on. Blackburn with Darwen’s vision is to develop a local whole system approach to delivering Tier 2 weight management which is provided by local organisations who have the knowledge, skills and ability to target the hardest to reach in our communities. It is hoped that it will give the opportunity to take a test and learn approach with target groups, develop an agile model which works for each of the groups and develop relationships and shared learning across organisations to maximise skills and knowledge.

Based on Healthy Living’s previous ‘Aspire’ weight management program a 12-week course run by our dietitian and fitness instructor will be delivered with follow up continuing at 6 months and 1 year.