Why it matters: Local patients requiring specialist dietary advice, weight-related medications and bariatric surgery previously had to travel outside the region for treatment. The new service will provide care closer to home, with Ipswich Hospital set to offer these treatments within a few months of the initial launch in Colchester.
The details: NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board has awarded the three-year contract to East Suffolk and North East Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT). The new Weight Management and Complex Obesity Service (WMCOS) will launch in early summer 2025.
What's changing: The service will move away from the previously adopted national tiered weight management model where patients had to progress sequentially from tier 1 support, through tiers 2 and 3 to tier 4.
The new approach: Patients will be assessed and referred directly into the most appropriate treatment for their needs from the outset, following recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
What they're saying: Nerinda Evans, Director of Strategic Programmes at NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB, said: "I am delighted to announce this contract award which sees bariatric surgery performed locally for the first time. This lays the foundation for future growth and developments in weight management and complex obesity for people in Suffolk and north east Essex."
Nick Hulme, Chief Executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust said: "We're delighted to have been awarded the contract for the weight management and complex obesity service, which will mean, for the first time, patients who need bariatric surgery or obesity management medication, can now do so closer to home."
Available treatments: The medications available in the service and approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence include Wegovy® and Mounjaro®.
Access details: All patients referred to the service will be assessed against eligibility criteria to determine which type of treatment will be most appropriate. Patients will be prioritised according to clinical need.
What's next: The ICB aims to connect patients to local lifestyle support services within WMCOS by the end of the year.
The bottom line: This new service marks the first time bariatric surgery will be performed locally in the region, with treatment starting in Colchester and expanding to Ipswich Hospital in a few months' time, significantly improving access for Suffolk patients.
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