When we spend most of our working life taking care of others, we often need that reminder to take care of ourselves.  Looking after your physical health is key to supporting your overall health and wellbeing, including your mental health. As such, we are pleased to be working with the following organisations to offer physical health and wellbeing support to our NHS people.

• Digital weight management programme for NHS staff
• Gym membership discounts
• Challenge the Wild walks

Digital weight management programme for NHS staff

Supporting our NHS colleagues through a digital weight management programme for staff

Over 15,000 NHS staff have signed up to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme since it started in July 2021. This programme is part of a wider commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan, to help people living with obesity who want to improve their health.

Supporting our NHS staff this year is one of our top priorities. The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme offers online access to weight management plans for our NHS staff living with obesity.

Thousands of NHS colleagues have taken the first step in signing up to the programme to support their health and wellbeing and are seeing the benefits to their lives already.

Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity

The programme provides online access to a 12-week weight management plan to support you on your journey to a healthier lifestyle. As a digital programme, it can be used anywhere, allowing you to complete the programme in your own time.

There is never a better time to look after your health and wellbeing. Each plan provides recipes and nutrition advice, wellbeing support and tips to boost activity levels. The NHS is working with some well-known weight-management organisations like Liva, MoreLife, Oviva, Second Nature, Slimming World and Xyla Health & Wellbeing to deliver this programme.

It can be tough to make changes, but with this online plan you can take control of your weight and help reduce the risk of ill health. Join thousands of your colleagues and take the first step in improving your health today!

Who can sign up

NHS Colleagues in England are eligible to register for this programme if:

• You are a member of staff working in the NHS (working in any role, including bank staff and staff on temporary contracts) with a valid NHS email address
• You are over 18 years of age
• You have a BMI of 30 or greater (this is lowered to 27.5 or greater for people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups, as these groups are at an increased risk of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI)

To check your BMI, please use the NHS BMI calculator.

This programme can only be accessed through a smartphone, tablet or computer with internet access.

Whilst we understand that many colleagues may be interested in signing up to this plan, this programme is not be suitable for you if:

• You are pregnant
• You have an active eating disorder
• You have had bariatric surgery in the last 2 years

If you are not eligible for this programme, there are still many support offers available to you to improve your health and wellbeing. Please visit NHS Better Health where you can find lots of free support and tools to help you improve your health and wellbeing.

How to sign up

Make sure you have an NHS work email address

We need a valid NHS email address to confirm you are an NHS worker and to make sure we can contact you to start the programme. If you don’t currently have an NHS email address, but are employed by the NHS, please contact your line manager to request this. We will be contacting you via this email address after you sign up so check your inbox (and junk mail) regularly.

Complete the sign up form

This will take no longer than 10 minutes. We will need some information from you to help find a plan that suits you! All information will be kept confidential from your employer and workplace.

Choose a weight management plan

Once successfully registered, you will be directed to a central platform from where you can choose from a list of available weight management plans.

Sign up here

You can find more information in our frequently asked questions. There are also leaflets and posters to download.

Gym membership discounts

Looking after your physical health is key to supporting your overall health and wellbeing, including your mental health. NHS staff can access gym membership discounts via Bluelight (such as Pure Gym) and also Health Service Discounts.

Challenge the Wild walks

Challenge the Wild are an organisation specialising in providing adventurous challenges, outdoor experiences and stunning hikes to groups of like-minded individuals. They are offering 100 NHS colleagues the chance to participate in a one day “wellbeing walk” in the countryside, in a range of locations across the country. Being active can improve self-perception and self-esteem, mood and sleep quality, reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue. These walks will also provide you with an opportunity to create peer networks with colleagues who live locally to you, and share your experiences of the last year in a safe environment.

They offer free walks to NHS colleagues, facilitated by trained mountain leaders who are also either ex-Armed Forces or NHS staff.  Where possible, all routes are tailored to meet all accessibility needs.

How to join a walk

All NHS employees have access to Challenge the Wild walks at zero cost.   The walks are designed to support participants and offer real benefits, focussing on improving physical and mental wellbeing, whilst connecting like mind people and building team spirit.  You can view available walks on the Challenge the Wild website here.