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Trust nurses take part in weight loss trial

Staff volunteers at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust have signed up to the Slimpod system to help them lose weight. 
Weight loss nurse

Nurses at an NHS trust have signed up to a programme to ‘gently retrain the mind’ in a bid to encourage them eat healthily and lose weight.


Before and after: Trust nurse Stephanie Ridgway has lost 9lbs using the Slimpod system

The Slimpod system, which can be listened to every day via an app on participants smart phones, consists of nine-minute voice recordings to encourage listeners to move away from sugar and junk foods in favour of healthier food and lifestyle choices.

150 volunteers

Around 150 staff volunteers at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, including nurses, healthcare assistants and doctors, started the 12-week programme at the beginning of June.

The results of the programme will be reported back to the Department of Health.

The programme was created by Sandra Roycroft-Davis, who is founder of ThinkingSlimmer.com and a member of the all-party parliamentary group on obesity.

Fast food

Trust nurse Stephanie Ridgway has lost about 9lbs so far.

‘I used to work nights and I’d eat during my shift and when I got home. It was always fast food,’ she said.

‘I never used to take a dinner break and stop to eat and I was a chocoholic – eating three or four bars a day and feeling sick afterwards.

‘I haven’t eaten any chocolate since starting Slimpod and I definitely feel more relaxed.

Healthy eating choices

‘I went on a cruise recently and actually lost weight as I must have been making healthy eating choices.’

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Karen James said: ‘There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that looking after the health and welfare of our colleagues directly contributes to the delivery of quality patient care.

‘I am delighted we have been chosen to trial this three-month project on behalf of the NHS, and look forward to sharing our experiences with others across the country.’


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