ICPO is delighted to support and celebrate the launch of the United Kingdom Coalition for People Living with Obesity (UKCPO), a new patient-led organisation dedicated to improving the lives of people living with obesity across the United Kingdom.
Founded by experienced advocates with lived experience of obesity, UKCPO aims to educate the public, provide evidence-based information on obesity and its treatment, advocate for improved access to care, and empower people living with obesity to make informed decisions about their health. The organisation also provides peer support opportunities, educational resources, community engagement activities, and a platform to amplify the voices of those directly affected by obesity.
The launch of UKCPO represents an important step forward in strengthening the patient voice across the UK and ensuring that people living with obesity are actively involved in discussions relating to healthcare, policy, research, and service development.
ICPO and UKCPO share many common goals, including reducing weight stigma, improving understanding of obesity as a complex chronic disease, promoting equitable access to treatment and support services, and ensuring that lived experience remains at the centre of decision-making.
As neighbouring patient organisations, we recognise the value of working together to address shared challenges and opportunities. We are pleased to confirm that ICPO and UKCPO will be collaborating on a number of initiatives in the future, bringing together our collective experience, expertise, and patient perspectives to strengthen advocacy efforts across both islands.
By working in partnership, we can help ensure that the voices of people living with obesity are heard more clearly, influence policy more effectively, and contribute to the development of services that better meet the needs of our communities.
ICPO congratulates everyone involved in establishing UKCPO and wishes the organisation every success as it begins this exciting journey. We look forward to building a strong and productive relationship in the years ahead and working together to create meaningful change for people living with obesity.
