Evaluation of the national rollout of the NHS Enhanced Service Incentive for weight management in primary care
Projects
Project title: Evaluation of the national rollout of the NHS Enhanced Service Incentive for weight management in primary care
Duration: 1 July 2021 – 30 September 2023
Funding total: £ 403,608.02
Funders and or supporters: Funded by NIHR ARC Prevention Including Behavioual Risk Factors National Priority Consortium.
The project is led by ARC Oxford and Thames Valley collaborating with ARC North East and North Cumbria, ARC Wessex, ARC Kent, Surrey and Sussex and ARC West Midlands.
Project summary
The aim of this evaluation is to examine the implementation of a national enhanced service incentive scheme for weight management, the process and mechanisms through which the interventions are expected to work, the outcome of NHS England’s rollout and its impact on health equity and early markers of disease risk, and model long-term impact on health and costs.
Who is it relevant to and who could it impact?
NHS England, general practice staff, and people in England living with obesity.
Why is this project important?
The Prime Minister’s 2020 Obesity Plan committed to limit promotion of unhealthy food on media and in-store and action to support people with obesity to lose weight. £100 million has been allocated to the latter and this application examines the impact of that investment.
While population-level interventions have great potential, they aim to prevent weight gain, rather than support people with obesity to lose weight. Specific support to lose weight results in greater weight loss than unguided efforts and will prevent morbidity and premature mortality over the next 20 years in England, with potential to do so in population subgroups at highest risk if appropriately targeted.
Lead contact for the project: Professor Susan Jebb, University of Oxford – [email protected]
Co-investigators:
- Dr Claire Schwartz, PPI Manager, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley
- Ms Philippa Seeber, member of the public and leading PPI work in ARC Oxford and Thames Valley Changing Behaviours for Better Health and Preventing Disease theme
- Dr Paul Doody, Postdoctoral Health Services Researcher, University of Oxford, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley
- Ms Anisa Hajizadeh, Researcher, University of Oxford, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley
- Dr Rachna Begh, University Research Lecturer, University of Oxford, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley
- Dr Laura Heath, Academic Clinical Fellow, University of Oxford, University of Oxford, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley
- Dr Richard Stevens, Associate Professor of Statistics, University of Oxford, University of Oxford, ARC Oxford and Thames Valley
- Professor Ashley Adamson, Professor of Public Health Nutrition, University of Newcastle, North East and North Cumbria ARC (NENC)
- Dr Mackenzie Fong, Research Fellow in Prevention, University of Newcastle, North East and North Cumbria ARC (NENC)
- Professor Paul Little, Professor of General Practice, University of Southampton
- Professor Harm Van Marwijk, Professor of Primary Care, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Kent, Surrey, Sussex (KSS) ARC
- Professor Kate Jolly, University of Birmingham
Project update
This study is now complete. A link to the research findings is below (published April 2025).
If you would like more detailed information about this project please email [email protected]
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