Specialist Weight Management Service

NHS Greater Manchester is reviewing specialist weight management services across Greater Manchester.

Specialist weight management services support people with a high body mass index (BMI) – usually a minimum of 35 or 40 depending on where you live and whether you have any other long-term conditions.

The services support people to lose weight in a safe way by making positive changes, supported by dieticians, psychologists, physiotherapists, and other health care professionals. They also support people who meet the criteria to have access to bariatric surgery and weight loss injections or medications.

Obesity and access to effective weight management support is a priority for NHS Greater Manchester as we recognise the importance of people being able to access the right support.

Like many areas, demand for these services is high with long waiting lists and services currently can’t meet the demand, with no additional funding available for further support or services. This has meant that services in Bolton were suspended in 2023, and services in Wigan will be suspended from 1st January 2025.

There have also been changes to the NICE guidance  around these services, with the approval of new medications that support weight loss that need to be considered in the service offer.

To solve these challenges, a review of all specialist weight management services is currently underway across the whole of Greater Manchester, with the intention to have a new Greater Manchester-wide service in place during 2025.

At the moment we do not know what the new service will look like and what it will offer as we are just beginning this process.

 

Have your say

To help us in the review, we would like to get feedback that will mean that we:

• understand more about the experiences of patients who use these services.
• understand what is expected by those who are waiting for the services.
• are aware of any relevant information from anyone interested or involved in these services.

Share your feedback

Click the link below to answer a few questions. It is completely anonymous, so please be honest and don’t worry as it can’t affect your treatment at all.

 

 

If you would prefer to feedback by email or phone, you can contact the engagement team:

Email – gmhscp.engagement@nhs.net

Phone – 07786 673762

We know that this is a mobile number, and we don’t want to eat into your minutes. So please feel free to either text or WhatsApp us, or if you want to speak to us leave a message on our answerphone and we will call you back.

 

Making a complaint

As this work is anonymous, we cannot take formal complaints through this process. If you would like to make a formal complaint as well or instead, please contact the patient services team:

Email – nhsgm.patientservices@nhs.net

Phone – 0161 271 3980, 9am-4pm Monday-Friday (excluding Bank Holidays)

Post – NHS Greater Manchester, Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU

 

Keep up to date

If you would like to get updated on any further information about this service review, or nay opportunities to be involved in it, please click the link below to fill in our keep in touch form.