Our study exemplifies translational research as we take novel digital innovations into the clinical space. We hope this project will show that proven interventions can be delivered virtually to help people living with obesity, whoever they are, wherever they are and whenever they want, cost-effectively and sustainably.
Professor Emma Duncan, Professor of Clinical Endocrinology at King’s College London and consultant endocrinologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
06 December 2024
£1.3m awarded to evaluate effectiveness of digital weight management in southeast London
King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, the Health Innovation Network South London and Roczen have been awarded a £1.3m project grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to determine how well a digital weight management tool helps people living with obesity in southeast London to lose weight.
The project is one of seven new research projects funded via the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme, which is aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.
The three-year study, co-led by Professor Emma Duncan from King’s College London and Dr Andrew Walker from the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London, will test whether an existing and NICE-approved digital weight management programme called Roczen can be as helpful as the current standard of care offered in southeast London to people who are living with obesity or are overweight.
It’s estimated that 64% of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity. Obesity can lead to other health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and some types of cancer. People in southeast London who need weight management support are currently faced with a 12-month wait once referred by their GP to a specialist care service, and many other areas of the country do not have these services at all.
Digital platforms could offer a way to increase the accessibility of weight management services, helping more people to get the support they need to manage their weight and improve their health. The project will explore whether Roczen, a digitally-enabled tier 3 weight management platform, can improve or maintain weight loss, and will assess its impact on health outcomes, patient and clinician experience, and health inequalities – and whether it is cost-effective for the NHS.
Roczen was founded by NHS obesity professionals and, following a video consultation with a registered healthcare professional, provides access for patients with excess weight to a range of clinical services. These include dietary, behavioural and medical interventions, inclusive of pharmacotherapy, which are tailored to the individual patient and include long-term follow up. This is delivered alongside expert guidance on eating behaviours, nutrition and physical activity, and peer support, all delivered via the Roczen mobile app.
The team will look at three areas as part of the project:
- Whether it’s effective to offer Roczen to people on waiting lists for weight management services, helping them get the care they need sooner
- Whether it’s effective to offer Roczen to people leaving specialist care to help them continue to manage their weight
- The practicalities of incorporating digital weight management into the NHS including patient and clinician experience, and cost-effectiveness
The project is due to start in November 2024. King’s and HIN SL will be the analytical partners, jointly leading the study and working alongside clinical staff in Guy’s and St Thomas’ Centre for Obesity and Roczen. The project will be supported by three lived experience partners, who are embedded in the study team. Other King’s academics in the project team include Dr Oliver Canfell, Dr Katie Dalrymple, Dr Alastair Duncan and Professor Barbara McGowan.
“This grant highlights what we can achieve when we work as a team: individuals with lived experience, academics, clinicians, digital experts, and health economists – a true partnership to deliver better health care,” adds Professor Duncan.
Obesity is a major issue for our local community in south London. We are very excited to test if digital innovation can help address this and see if our work could potentially be scaled up to help people with obesity across the country.
Dr Andrew Walker Head of Insights at HIN SL
This groundbreaking study puts Roczen and our partners at the forefront of exploring the future of obesity care in the UK. With a focus on the patient experience, we aim to answer key questions about how the NHS can improve and sustain weight management services through tech-enabled clinical care. Over the next three years, we’re excited to set a high standard for what’s possible in improving the lives of people living with obesity.
Dr Laura Falvey, Executive Clinical Director for Reset Health & Roczen
In this story
Professor of clinical endocrinology
Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences
Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences
Lecturer in Nutritional Sciences
Consultant Endocrinologist