Midlands secures share of £85m to transform obesity care
- 2 July 2026
- Two West Midlands NHS projects have secured funding through the £85m Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme to develop digitally enabled obesity care
- The projects will use digital tools and community-based support to improve access to weight management services and reduce health inequalities
- Initial pilots are expected to begin later this year, with findings helping to inform future NHS obesity care models
Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) has supported NHS organisations across the region to secure a share of the £85 million national investment aimed at transforming obesity care through more integrated, digitally enabled services.
The funding comes through Innovate UK’s Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme (OPIP), delivered in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.
The three-year programme is designed to accelerate innovation in obesity care, improve access to treatment and reduce health inequalities.
Across the Midlands, four programmes have secured funding — two in the West Midlands and two in the East Midlands — representing around a third of all successful projects awarded nationally.
Amanda Risino, chief executive at HIWM, said: “The Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme represents an important step forward in delivering more proactive, personalised and accessible obesity care.
“This investment will accelerate the shift towards prevention, early intervention and more integrated care — helping people access the right support, at the right time, closer to home.
“Tackling obesity requires system-wide collaboration, and this programme demonstrates the value of bringing together the NHS, academia, industry and communities to address complex health challenges.”
In the West Midlands, Birmingham and Solihull and the Black Country Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will deliver the BRIDGE Project, while Coventry and Warwickshire ICB will lead the CW-OPIP programme.
The initiatives will involve NHS organisations, universities, local authorities, community organisations and industry partners to develop obesity care pathways centred on primary and community care.
They aim to increase availability of weight management services through digital tools and community-based support, while addressing longstanding challenges including fragmented care pathways, lengthy waiting times and unequal access to services.
The projects are also expected to generate evidence intended to inform future NHS obesity care models. Initial pilots are expected to begin later this year, ahead of a wider rollout.
Dr Jonathan Hazlehurst, consultant endocrinologist at University Hospital Birmingham and honorary senior research fellow at University of Birmingham, said: “Obesity is one of the most significant public health challenges facing our communities, yet too many people are unable to access the support they need.
“Through BRIDGE, we are creating a more equitable, patient-centred system that makes it easier for people to access high-quality care while reducing pressure on frontline NHS services.
“This programme gives us an opportunity to design services around the needs of our population and ensure support reaches those who have traditionally faced barriers.
“Patients should not come forward or approach their GP practice about this program at this stage as the program includes a gradual phased roll-out.”
HIWM supported the successful funding applications by coordinating partners and providing bid-writing support.
The organisation also provided specialist bid-writing expertise, helped bring together partners from across the health system to co-design proposals and contributed project management and data analytics expertise.
