Healthier You is an NHS-backed programme delivered by Xyla that helps people make lasting lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It now also supports wider needs, including diabetes remission, obesity support and long-term conditions.
We spoke to Anna Lycett, one of Xyla’s experienced health coaches. Over the past four years, Anna has delivered both the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP) and supporting participants through face-to-face groups, online sessions and culturally tailored delivery, including Polish language programmes. Her experience gives her a clear view of how personalised support helps people feel confident, included and ready to make meaningful changes.
Here, Anna shares how tailoring, cultural understanding and trust building can transform the experience for people at risk of, or living with, Type 2 diabetes.
When someone walks into a Healthier You session, they bring their entire world with them; their language, their lifestyle, their culture, their worries and their barriers. No two groups are ever the same, and no two people take the same path through the programme.
One of the first things I was ever taught as a coach was simple: check what people need before you start.
It sounds obvious, but it’s the foundation for everything that comes after. Tailoring isn’t just a technique, it’s how you create a space where people feel safe, respected and able to learn.
I’ve worked with people who lipread, people with visual impairments, people who bring partners or carers and people who simply feel nervous about starting something new. Each situation needs something different:
These small adjustments can make a huge difference.
I remember one woman who told me at the end of her programme, “I can pull my own socks up again.” That tiny physical change represented independence and dignity. Tailoring is what makes moments like that possible.
Some of the biggest challenges come when people have limited English. For many, the fear isn’t about the content, it’s about whether they’ll be able to follow along, ask questions or feel comfortable in the group. That’s why our language specific programmes are so important. Alongside English, we run sessions in:
As a native Polish speaker, I’ve delivered Polish language sessions and supported the creation of engagement materials to make sure they’re clear and accessible. I’ll never forget the look of surprise and relief on people’s faces when they realise they can learn in their own language. For people who already feel nervous or unsure, that familiar connection can make all the difference. It helps people settle, absorb the information and feel confident that the programme is truly for them.
In some communities there can be real hesitation around data, healthcare services and the idea of someone telling you, “How you should live.” I often hear, “I can sort it out myself,” or “Who are you?”. That hesitation is completely understandable. People carry their own histories with them; experiences from here or from their home countries where services may have felt distant, unfamiliar or hard to navigate. For some, it’s cultural; health is something you manage privately, not with a professional you’ve never met before.
Trust isn’t something you can rush. It comes from spending time in the community, showing up consistently and being yourself. One of my favourite examples is a Polish wellbeing group I visited in Hull. People were cautious at first. But after a warm, open conversation, one woman decided to join the programme. She’s still with us now. Had I not been physically there in that trusted space, she might never have known the programme was for her.
Digital exclusion still affects many of the people we support, especially in rural areas or among older adults. Some panic when they hear the word “app,” worried everything will be too complicated or completely online.
I always reassure people they don’t need to be confident with tech to take part. The Wellbeing Way app is simple to use, but printed resources, conversations and in-person support are always available. Tech can be a brilliant enabler for those who want it, but it should never become a barrier.
That’s why holding local, face-to-face sessions is vital. In Gilberdyke, a small rural village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, people told us they wouldn’t have joined if they had to travel long distances or rely on digital sessions alone. By bringing the programme into their community, in a familiar setting, people who might otherwise have been excluded were suddenly able to engage.
Every person who joins a Healthier You deserves a fair opportunity to understand their health, make informed choices and feel supported in making changes, no matter their background, ability or confidence level.
Some people come in ready to change. Others need reassurance. Some need humour. Some need time. But when you create a space where every voice matters and every barrier is acknowledged, people do incredible things, often in ways that ripple far beyond the programme itself.
I’ve seen this so many times. A participant might start making small adjustments at home, and suddenly their partner or children are getting curious about food labels or portion sizes. Someone might start walking more and before long they’re taking a neighbour with them. In one of my groups, a participant told me that around 20 colleagues in his workplace had started discussing their food choices because he had begun reading labels more carefully and explaining what he’d learned. One person’s shift became the foundation for a healthier workplace culture.
The Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme and Type 2 Diabetes Remission Programme are proven to help people reduce their risk of Type 2 diabetes or lower their blood glucose through practical, sustainable lifestyle changes.
Delivered by Xyla, they combine expert coaching, tailored support and flexible options that reach diverse communities, from culturally tailored groups to multilingual delivery and in-person community engagement.
Find out how your area can benefit from Healthier You diabetes prevention and remission programmes.