A new app offering people incentives for healthy living is to be piloted in Wolverhampton next year.
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the pilot will be led by healthcare tech specialist HeadUp Systems and hosted by Wolverhampton City Council.
It has invited adults from the city to register their interest through the HeadUp website.
Pilot participants will be given wrist-worn devices and access to an app which will generate personalised health recommendations, such as increasing their step count or eating more fruit and vegetables.
Users will collect points for healthy behaviours which they will be able to cash in for rewards which could include discounts for cinema or theme park tickets, and clothes or food vouchers.
The scheme is part of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ (OHID) drive to use digital technology to improve physical health and prevent health conditions before they develop.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This pilot is an exciting opportunity to see how we can empower people to make healthy changes to their lifestyle and I would encourage all adults in Wolverhampton to come forward and register their interest.
“Taking part will help us better understand how rewards can help motivate people to make small adjustments to their daily lives that will have a lasting positive impact on their health.
“I want to make it easier for people to make healthy choices and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is driving forward our levelling up agenda for health across the country.”
Local factors
The DHSC said Wolverhampton was chosen for the pilot due to its large population size, with a third of residents classed as being physically inactive and a below average number of adults in the city eating their five-a-day.
The Health Incentives Scheme is part of a £100 million package of government support to encourage people living with obesity to move towards and maintain a healthier weight.
HeadUp has been chosen to deliver the new scheme, with £3 million also coming from the DHSC to provide incentives.
The pilot will launch in early 2022 and will run for six months.
Image from iStock, DragonImages
