Weight management information and advice

If you are living with obesity, we can offer you advice about improving your lifestyle and losing and managing your weight safely.

Visit our community wellbeing page: https://www.oakfieldhealthcentre.co.uk/community-wellbeing

Kent County Council:

Healthy weight - Kent County Council

One You Kent offers professional and friendly support to help you achieve your weight loss goals with a free 12-week programme for people who live in Kent. 

Active Kent & Medway - ActiveKent has information on getting more active, making lifestyle changes that will benefit the whole family.

If you have tried a number of weight loss approaches and your weight is having a significant impact on your life, we can refer you to a hospital consultant who will give you advice if you have severe or complex weight issues.

The advice and support available depends on various factors, like your body mass index, other health conditions and age. Surgery and medication is sometimes available but under strict criteria. Such intervention is only considered when all other options to help you manage your weight have been considered.

For full details please follow this link: Weight management | NHS Kent and Medway

We can give you access to the: NHS England » The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme

If you meet the criteria we can also give you access to further programmes that may be beneficial such as:

NHS England » NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP)

NHS England » NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme

Information for Patients

As part of NHS quality standards we are offering a referral to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme for eligible patients.

You may receive a text regarding a recent health review that has identified that you may benefit from additional support with weight management.

If you wish to participate please respond to the text with a YES or NO if you wish to decline.

Who we can refer:

You are eligible for the programme if:

• you are age 18 or over
• you have a BMI of 30 or more. The BMI threshold is 27.5 for people from black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, who are at an increased risk of some conditions at a lower BMI, such as type 2 diabetes
• you have a diagnosis of diabetes (type 1 or 2), high blood pressure, or both

You will need regular access to the internet, using a smartphone or computer, to complete the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme.

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you can access online support from https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/

What is the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme?

The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is a free, 12 week online programme that provides access to weight management plans.

Upon your GP referring you, you will receive a text message within 2 working days from NHS WMP inviting you to the programme.

The programme is an NHS-supported lifestyle and behaviour-change service designed to help people:

• improve eating habits
• increase physical activity
• lose weight gradually and safely
• reduce risks associated with obesity and diabetes

The Programme is accessed online, so it can be completed anywhere, in your own time, and may include online coaching, educational modules, goal-setting tools, progress tracking and peer or coach support

Important: This is NOT a referral for weight loss injections

This Referral is for a structured NHS weight management programme only.

It is:

• not a referral for weight loss injections
• not a prescription request for medications such as:
• not a referral to specialist bariatric or Tier 3 obesity services

Access to weight loss injections on the NHS is subject to separate national eligibility criteria and specialist commissioning arrangements, which many patients will not meet.

Participation in a digital weight management programme does not guarantee access to weight loss medication in the future.

Why has this been offered?

Weight management support can help reduce the risk of:

• type 2 diabetes complications
• heart disease
• stroke
• high blood pressure
• sleep apnoea
• joint problems

Even modest weight loss can produce meaningful health benefits.

Do I have to take part?

No. Participation is voluntary.

If you choose not to take part, your routine medical care will continue as normal.

To read more about the programme please follow this link:  https://www.england.nhs.uk/digital-weight-management/

What happens next?

If you accept:

1. If you wish to participate please respond to the text with a YES or NO if you wish to decline. 
2. If you have accepted we will refer you to the NHS-approved provider.
3. The provider will contact you directly.

*If you accidently delete the text please email oakfield.practice@nhs.net 

We understand there has been increased interest in weight loss injections following recent media coverage. While these medications (such as Wegovy® and Mounjaro®) are now approved for NHS use in certain cases, they are not available on request and cannot be prescribed routinely in general practice.

Please see the NICE guidance: Overview | Overweight and obesity management | Guidance | NICE

You must meet the strict clinical criteria set out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which includes your BMI, at least one weight-related health condition (e.g. type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea), A commitment to engage in a structured lifestyle programme.

These medications must be initiated and monitored by a specialist team.

GPs are not permitted to prescribe them outside of this pathway.

We follow national guidance to ensure safe, fair, and clinically appropriate care.