New weight management service “Gro Health” available for residents in West Northamptonshire

As part of a new partnership, West Northamptonshire Council is delighted to announce Gro Health as the new provider for residents to access a free, weight management service that will be focused on individual needs.

Gro Health’s comprehensive 12-week management programme, with additional support for 12 months, offers either digital or in-person services depending on your eligibility, available in up to 22 languages. Developed together with NHS obesity specialists and including insights from over 20,000 Gro Health users, the programme emphasises an individualised approach to sustainable health changes.

The new programme offers a range of resources and support from; customised educational resources, nutritious recipes, on-demand exercise classes, and both group and individual health coaching. These tools are crafted to help individuals set and achieve personal health goals while fostering long-term healthy habits.

Making the new service as easy to access as possible, eligible residents can access this support directly via the website: https://grohealth.com/west-northants or through a referral from their healthcare professional. Details on eligibility can be found on the website.

Cllr Matt Golby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health at West Northants Council said: "This is an exciting partnership with Gro Health and represents a crucial investment in our community’s health which aligns with our strategic goals to reduce health disparities across West Northamptonshire. Providing accessible and personalised services is recognised throughout our West Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy and is a big step forward in helping residents to live fit, healthy and independent lives.”

Recent statistics from the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) highlight the urgency of accessible healthy weight services: in 2020/21, an estimated 69% of the local population was overweight or obese, surpassing the national average of 64%.

Michaela de la Fosse, Operations Manager at DDM Health, stated, "At Gro Health, we focus on empowering residents and removing obstacles to health improvement. We are excited to launch this programme in West Northants and are eager to see the positive changes it will bring to the community."

The effectiveness of Gro Health is backed by six peer-reviewed studies, demonstrating notable outcomes such as an average 6.5% weight loss at six months, an 8% improvement in quality of life, and significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms.