25 February 2010
A new community service is about to be launched in Bristol, one
of the first in the South West, to help people who are overweight
or obese.
Latest estimates for Bristol are that there are 75,000 adults
who are obese and 60,000 who are overweight according to the Health
Survey for England. The new service will help patients who have
already been struggling to lose weight.
The NHS in Bristol has already pioneered a successful slimming
on referral scheme where GPs have been able to refer patients on to
slimming clubs with free vouchers. Under the new community scheme
patients over 16 with a Body Mass Index of more than 30 can be
referred to new clinics provided by University Hospitals Bristol
NHS Foundation Trust. Patients with specific health issues
with a BMI of 28- 30 may also be referred to the clinics. The new
service is aimed at those people who are really struggling and need
either one to one support or a specialised group. This means
that people can get the support and motivation to make changes to
their lifestyle and maintain them over time.
Pregnant women are a particular target group as obesity is the
biggest cause of maternal deaths. The flexible service will start
with a one to one 40 minute session with a dietitian who has also
been trained as a walk leader and has extensive knowledge of the
range of activities on offer in the local area. The patient is
encouraged to set their own goals which are realistic and
appropriate. The patient can then decide to continue to be seen on
a one to one basis or to join a group which can help provide
further motivational support.
The service will be flexible to meet the needs of disadvantaged
people and groups that find services difficult to access, including
adults with learning difficulties, disabled people, black and
minority ethnic groups and adults with mental health
problems.
The first patients will be seen in February 2010 initially at
Greenway Community practice in Southmead, followed by a clinic
starting at Horfield Health Centre and by April, Air Balloon and
Knowle West Health Park will be offering sessions. When fully
operational the service will be accessible on weekdays (including
early morning and evenings) and at weekends. Eventually the full
service will run from 10 venues across the city.
The service is based on the following key principles:
¢ An effective balanced approach to weight management
involving nutrition and physical activity
¢ Accessible through local community clinics close to
patients home or work and aimed particularly at disadvantaged
areas
¢ Personalised patient treatment programmes of varying
duration recognising individual issues and needs
¢ Sustainable benefits by enabling patients to develop the
necessary personal attributes and skills for their own long-term
weight management.
Dr Hugh Annett, Bristol Director of Public Health, said:
Previously patients struggling with losing weight only had the
option of slimming clubs for those with the most severe problems or
hospital clinics or surgery. This is a boost to the service to help
patients before their weight becomes a life threatening issue. In
the long run, it is our expectation the service will mean that
fewer patients will need the higher tier hospital services."
Helen Brown, Head of Service for Nutrition and Dietetics at
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Making effective lifestyle changes is all about having support
and advice available at the right time and in the right place for
patients.
This service aims to draw on all of the community based support
available to maximise a patient's ability to succeed in their
weight management goals.
We are committed to developing a service that meets the needs of
patients and we will be seeking their feedback to help us to
continue to improve our services."
