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Is the NHS equiped to deal with obesity?

Monday, 29th March 2010

So, the NHS has "lost" yet another in its list of recommended anti obesity drugs! With the removal of Sibutramine the NHS now only recommends Xenical which itself has a sketchy record of success, ridiculous prescribing regulations and some very unpleasant side effects! Why, oh why will Government not cooperate with the private sector? Private slimming clinics are regulated by the Care Quality Commission so patients are safe while being treated. They are treated with a wider range of medications than the NHS has and, with far better success rates! Successive Governments talk about freedom of choice, reduction of regulation and the "right" to treatment but they all continue to restrict, over legislate and increase regulation.

Did you know that anti obesity drugs are the only medications that Doctors are not allowed to prescribe until the patient is clinically obese? How stupid is that? Patients leave Doctors surgeries or slimming clinics because they are not quite fat enough to qualify for treatment, go home, eat like crazy and go back to get weighed again so that they can get treatment for a disease that they want desperately to control. If it wasn't so sad it would be laughable! The NHS need to recognise that obesity is not a disease it is equipped to treat. Obese patients need regular consultations and proper support. Not a lecture from a self righteous GP and a prescription (if they are lucky) for 3 months medication that barely works.

What happened to patient care? Obesity related diseases now account for more premature deaths than smoking. We need to help obesity suffers, make them feel cared for and valued. Not toss them aside with the "well you chose to eat too much so it's your own fault" attitude that is so prevalent today. This Government and the NHS needs to recognise the value of the obese to society and their right to treatment. If not in the NHS then in specialist private clinics that do care about their patients and their success rates.

But that is not what we are about, the truth is that not everyone is built to look like a catwalk model, and there is no reason why that should be your goal. That being said there is a massive obesity problem in the UK with 46% of men and 32% of women being overweight, and in addition 17% of men and 21% of women are clinically obese. So it is not that we are trying to make everyone underweight, we just want to tip the scales in favour of all of society being a little bit healthier!

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Robert Houtman is Managing Director of National Slimming & Cosmetic Clinics. He is also a founder member of The Obesity Management Association and sat on the Scottish Executive Care Standards Committee to represent anti obesity clinics.

National Slimming Clinics are the UK's largest private group of medically supervised slimming clinics.

Our principles are simple and are based on lifestyle, education, healthy eating and medication (when necessary) to get your weight loss started. At National Slimming Clinics we offer an integrated approach, helping you achieve the weight you desire, assisting you with sound advise.