This page introduces the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme, formerly the NHS Low Calorie Diet. It helps you understand whether you’re eligible and it’s the right programme for you now.
If you decide it is, then contact your GP practice about a referral. Places are limited so it’s best not to delay.
The NHS is delivering a low calorie treatment for people in Birmingham and Solihull living with Type 2 diabetes who are above a healthy weight. Delivered by Momenta, it’s based on the DiRECT study which showed this approach can help people lose weight, improve their diabetes control, reduce diabetes-related medication and even achieve remission.
On average participants lose 10-15% of their starting weight. Many participants also stop or reduce diabetes and other medications and also tell us they feel healthier and happier.
The 12-month programme is completely free but you can only take part if you’re referred by your GP practice.
Read on to find out more and / or you can download this leaflet to read or print if you prefer.
This expert-developed 12-month programme has three phases. To start with you’ll follow a low calorie diet for 12 weeks (replacing all normal meals with your choice of soups, shakes and porridges totalling 8-900 calories per day). Then you’ll gradually restart ‘real food’ meals over six weeks. Finally you’ll receive ongoing support for the last 8 months to help you maintain or build on your weight loss.
You’ll receive high-quality resources and one-to-one support from our trained Coaches. These will give you the knowledge, skills and support you need throughout the programme and afterwards. You can choose whether to access your Coach support in-person at a local venue or digitally over an app.
If you engage with your Coach and provide the safety monitoring information you’ll be given all your total diet replacement products and a range of high-quality resources including Workbooks, a Lifestyle logbook, online recipe book and 12 months’ premium access to the EXi physical activity – all free of charge. You can order from one of the widest ranges of total diet replacement products available and they’ll be delivered directly to your home or work as you prefer.
Throughout the programme you’ll continue to be supported by your GP practice – for example if your medicines need to be changed.
Some participants have shared their stories – you might find their experiences help you explain the programme to your patients – or they might just make you smile…
If you're unsure about any of these please ask your GP practice.
These criteria have been set out by NHS England's Expert Advisory Group.
If you're unsure about any of these please ask your GP practice.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme and deciding whether it’s the right approach for you now we encourage you to complete this self-assessment questionnaire.
This kind of programme is not for everyone with Type 2 diabetes. It’s important to think carefully about whether it’s the right type of support and the right time for you. Answering these questions should help you think about this. You might find it helpful to discuss your responses with your health care provider. This can help you make a joint decision about whether this is the right approach for your diabetes management at this time – or consider what other options may be helpful.
You can tick the boxes on the downloaded copy – no responses are stored – or just print it. You don’t need to share your responses with anyone if you don’t want to.
If you believe the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme is right for you now please contact your GP practice to confirm your eligibility and arrange a referral appointment including, if appropriate, guidance on which medications to adjust on the day you start the total diet replacement products.
Places are limited so it’s best not to delay.
If you’re interested but not sure yet, or have any questions you’d like to ask about the programme itself and what you can expect, please contact the Momenta Adviser team. You can call us on 0121 289 4805, send us a note using our contact form or email us at momenta.t2dr-bsol@nhs.net
All GP practices in Birmingham and Solihull have been made aware of the programme. However, if your GP does not know how to refer to the service please ask them to contact us and we can help them.
There’s some more detailed information below for further reading.
Thank you very much.
When you make an appointment with your GP practice they’ll refer you to the service and let you know whether you need to adjust any medications on the day that you start the total diet replacement products (not before). They’ll fill out a Referral and Medications Adjustment Form and send this to Momenta by secure NHS email – they’ll also give you a copy of the Medications Adjustment Form (MAF). It’s important that you keep this as NHS England have stated that, for safety reasons, you can’t start if you don’t recall this discussion and are comfortable with the adjustments.
When Momenta receive the referral form they’ll check it’s complete. If it isn’t they’ll contact your practice for any missing information. When they have the complete form they’ll contact you within 5 days and arrange an Individual Assessment to confirm eligibility, ask you some additional details and answer any questions you might have about the programme or process.
Momenta’s Adviser will then give you a choice of start date for your digital or in-person programmes (also upcoming times and locations for in-person) and book you onto the one you prefer. We organise in-person appointments on different days of the week and at different times including evenings to make it as easy as possible for people to attend.
Remission in people with Type 2 diabetes means that your blood sugar levels are no longer in the range for diabetes, without taking any diabetes medication.
Research tells us that remission is most likely to be achievable closer to your diagnosis – and is strongly linked to weight loss.
Some people call this reversing Type 2 diabetes, but we prefer the term remission because your Type 2 diabetes can come back.
There’s no guarantee you will reach remission as the research so far suggests that it isn’t possible for everyone. But there are many other benefits to losing extra weight – if you stick to the programme you can expect to lose 10% of your starting weight or more.
This programme uses a selection of total diet replacement products.