Overview
(for NHS decision-makers)
SemaPen provides a
digital-first, fully remote pathway for weight management. Patients access a modern app, connected smart scales and structured education to drive behaviour change. NHS GP referrals are accepted via the
NHS secure email route; patient accounts are created
the same day and onboarding begins immediately.
What patients see
The app experience
Simple, supportive and built for adherence. Patients use the SemaPen app to complete onboarding, track progress and access structured learning and community support — all without clinic visits.
Patient dashboard (at-a-glance progress)
Weight trend (auto-synced from smart scales)
Academy lesson tiles
“Badge earned” confirmation
Food logger / tracker
Community forum (moderated)
ID-check confirmation
Programme option 1:
SemaHealth (non-drug)
Intensive meal replacement + behaviour change, fully remote.
SemaHealth combines total diet replacement (Altralife) with structured food reintroduction, delivered alongside:
- The SemaPen Academy (nutrition, mindfulness, “fitness without the gym”)
- A food logger/tracker
- A moderated patient forum
- Light gamification (digital badges)
- Cloud-linked smart scales for effortless weight updates
Typical outcome: patients can expect 12–15% average weight loss over 12 months¹.
Who it suits:
patients referred by GPs where medication is not appropriate or not preferred, or where a non-drug pathway is clinically indicated.
Programme option 2:
SemaPen (drug-based)
GLP-1 digital programme for eligible patients.
We support Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) within a digital model designed to maximise adherence and safety.
NHS referral cohort includes: full app access (as above) plus connected smart scales — i.e. a Silver-equivalent feature set. (No vitamins or psychologist sessions are included for this cohort.).
Referral pathway for GPs (no IT lift)
1. Refer via NHS secure email route (GP-to-service).
2. SemaPen parses the referral and creates the patient account the same day.
3. The patient completes the standard onboarding flow, including a short video appointment for ID verification.
4. The patient proceeds directly into the appropriate programme. (NHS-referred patients do not see payment screens — funding is handled on the NHS side.)
Face-to-face (remote) step
One video appointment during onboarding is used for ID checks and patient questions. The remainder of care is entirely remote, reducing pressure on local services.
Patient communications
Patients contact their support team via the in-app support box (asynchronous messaging). Appointments, where needed, are scheduled via Calendly.
Education: The SemaPen Academy
Structured, short-form lessons across:
Recipes & diet advice
Mindfulness for weight loss
Fitness without the gym
Content is reviewed by the SemaPen clinical team (including nutritionists). Patients earn digital badges as they complete modules, reinforcing habit formation.
Sword Health Move
(for NHS referrals)
NHS-referred patients also receive access to Sword Health’s Move: weekly, tailored movement plans with specialist oversight and optional wearable integration — targeting inactivity and MSK risk while supporting overall cardiometabolic health.
Governance & infrastructure (plain English)
Structured, short-form lessons across:
Clinical oversight: led by Professor David Kerrigan
Platform: Laravel backend; UK-based hosting; Cloudflare; SSL/TLS; role-based access control and logging
Data:
accounts initiated from GP referral; identity verified during onboarding; patient progress and co-morbidity self-reports stored securely to guide care
Registration
SemaPen Pharmacy — GPhC 9012927.
Programme delivery includes pharmacy governance aligned to UK standards.
Why consider SemaPen
Digital & remote
Minimal service burden; rapid start for patients
Meaningful results
Non-drug pathway with 12–15% average weight loss¹; drug-based option for eligible patients
Whole-person support
Nutrition, movement (Sword Health Move), education, forum and light gamification
Low operational friction
Email referral; same-day account creation; consistent onboarding and identity checks
Based on SemaHealth programme outcomes for intensive meal replacement with structured reintroduction over a 12-month pathway.
