Would you like to start by losing weight?
Would you like some help?
Good news! There are several different options available in the NHS to help you. You may or may not need a referral from your GP surgery.
The following options DO NOT need a referral from your GP surgery. You simply follow the relevant website link to refer yourself to the weight loss program:
- WholeLife is available for free only to patients who are registered with Barton Surgery, Channel View Surgery, or Glendevon Medical Centre. It is a 7-week on-line course in which the group meets for one hour a week (using Zoom) to learn about the health benefits of a plant-based diet, exercise and good social connections. The course is run by a team of local GPs, dieticians and health coaches who work in the local NHS. Within the 7-week course there is an opportunity to try out a 4-week challenge – to eat a plant-based diet with the support of the professional team and the peer group doing the course with you. Participants will also have access to one-to-one bookable sessions with a dietitian or Health Coach during the course.
WholeLife course participants also meet up in person for social events that usually involve outdoor physical activity as diverse as gentle woodland walks, beachside touch rugby, paddle-boarding and supporting each other in the Teignmouth Park Run!
To book onto this course, go to www.wholelifeplantbased.com and fill out the application form online.
- The NHS weight loss plan -is a FREE internet-based 12-week plan, available to download from the website or via a free app. You work at your own pace using the tools provided. Simply go to
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/ to get started.
The following options DO require a referral from your GP surgery. Please contact your surgery to request a referral.
- The NHS Digital Weight Management Program – a new online course for patients who have been diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes, and whose BMI (Body Mass Index) is 30 or above, or 27.5 or above for patients from Black/Minority Ethnic backgrounds. The program offers 3 different levels of intervention that patients can choose from, including access to a health coach. For more information, click on this link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/digital-weight-management-patient-leaflet-a5.pdf
If you think you qualify for this program, and your surgery has not already referred you, please contact the surgery to request this referral.
- The National Diabetes Prevention Program – for patients who have been identified from a blood test result as being at high risk of developing diabetes. Your surgery will automatically refer you based on the blood test result, and send you confirmation and details of this program. This is a 9-month program, delivered online, with access to a range of educational courses and an on-line health coach. See https://devon.cc/dpp for further details.
- Local Dietitians- If you feel you need specialized nutritional advice about weight management, you can book an appointment with one of our two dietitians who work across Barton Surgery, Channel View Surgery, and Glendevon Medical Centre. Please ask your GP for a referral.
- Social Prescribers work for all 3 surgeries and offer individual appointments to help plan a wider approach to health-related problems that can take into account other social needs, such as access to the internet, or help to build up confidence, or help finding community-based services such as social clubs, financial help or other social needs. They can help you build a tailored plan to improve your health and well-being, including discussion of weight management problems. You can book an appointment with a Social Prescriber via your GP surgery.
- Specialist Weight Management Services, including Bariatric Surgery – patients with a BMI over 40, or with a BMI over 35 AND with certain additional long-term conditions, can be referred to a hospital-based service which may include an assessment for weight loss surgery (such as a gastric band). Please speak to your GP if you think you qualify for a referral.
