National Obesity Audit Directions 2023

The purpose of these Directions is to establish the National Obesity Audit (NOA), which will support the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan which aims to provide better outcomes for the patient.

The NOA is part of the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme. The aim of the audit is to drive improvement in quality of care available to those living with overweight and obesity in England. The NOA will follow the patient journey across primary to secondary care, looking at all areas of adult and child weight management care, interventions and outcomes to support current and future services to deliver efficient, effective and equitable prevention and care.  The NOA will be a patient-level data set which will cover all people living with overweight and obesity in England, all aspects of weight management services and interventions that are publicly funded and all short and long-term outcomes.

Sections 254(1) and 304(9), (10) and (12) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012  (the 2012 Act) and sections 13ZC and 272(7) and (8) of the National Health Service Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).

These Directions come into force on 3 November 2023.