Saturday June 27th 2026
Photo by Nappy
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Scottish people living in Lanarkshire and Midlothian are set to benefit from an innovative £85million partnership bringing industry and government together to support tackling obesity.
The two Scottish projects are among 12 being funded throughout the UK through the Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme (OPIP), reshaping how obesity is treated and reducing pressure on frontline services by putting advice and support at a patient’s fingertips – marking a step change in how we can support people living with obesity.
Backed by grant funding of up to £50 million from government and up to £35 million from pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), these new projects will deliver new, more accessible ways for people to receive care, bringing support closer to communities, and reducing pressure on vital NHS services. Support developed by the projects will include apps, round-the clock advice on WhatsApp and AI-powered triage.
Science Secretary Liz Kendall said:
“Almost one in three adults in this country are living with obesity – that’s millions of people who deserve real support.
“These pioneering projects will meet people where they are – whether that is through a pharmacy round the corner, an app on their phone, or support in their own language. For a parent trying to give their child the best start, or someone who has struggled to access help for years, that can make all the difference.
“The evidence these projects generate will help remove the barriers that have stopped too many people getting the help they need, shaping better health services in the future for every one of us.”
In Lanarkshire, a new digital platform co-designed with patients and clinicians across Scotland will support a wide range of tools that future-proof weight management support in Scotland. Meanwhile, in Midlothian, two linked programmes will provide digital-first access to weight management support for NHS Lothian patients and Armed Forces personnel and their families. The programmes will utilise online health checks and psychological screening to direct people to the right care.
Welcoming the funding, UK Government Minister for Scotland Kirsty McNeill said:
“This partnership is a great example of the UK Government teaming up with innovative technology companies to tackle an issue that impacts on people every day and puts pressure on NHS services.
“It will give more options for people looking for support to manage their weight by harnessing the technological skills and innovation we have here in Scotland. This will have a long-term benefit for both people in Scotland and for the delivery of health services.”
Obesity is one of the UK’s most pressing health challenges, with almost one third of adults in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and one in four in Wales living with the condition. It is estimated to cost UK society up to £107 billion per year, including costing the NHS more than £9 billion per year. Limited access to effective weight loss interventions, like specialist advice, guided physical activity or medicines, remains a key barrier for patients who need support.
OPIP will aim to transform outcomes for a wide range of patients, including people in deprived rural and coastal communities who often have to travel long distances for in-person care, minority ethnic communities, and for people with disabilities and early years families.
The projects are being led by an NHS Integrated Care Board or a Devolved Nation NHS Board, and many working with partners such as the British Heart Foundation, or Obesity UK.
Eligible patients will be able to access support through the projects imminently, which will run until March 2029.
Chris Stokes, President and General Manager, Lilly UK and Northern Europe, said:
“Obesity is a significant health challenge for the UK. We are proud to work with the government to support NHS partners in projects which have the potential to modernise obesity services and make a genuine difference in the lives of people living with obesity.”
This programme is a result of the memorandum of understanding between the government and Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, announced at the International Investment Summit in October 2024, with the intent to tackle significant health challenges including obesity.
The projects are designed to be scalable, meaning that the lessons learned from them can eventually be applied elsewhere to help people across the country access safe and effective weight loss support.
The Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK, directly supports the government’s Ten-Year Plan for the NHS, which sets out to make the NHS fit for the future by moving from analogue to digital systems, focussing on care within communities, and moving from sickness to prevention. It also supports the Life Sciences Sector Plan to achieve our ambition of becoming the leading life sciences economy in Europe by 2030.
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