North Bristol NHS Trust has been recognised as a leading obesity management centre by the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO).
The accreditation means the Trust’s weight loss, metabolic and bariatric surgery centre is one of just seven leading centres in the country.
Under the European Association for the Study of Obesity scheme, obesity management centres, including university and public clinics, are accredited against a set of carefully developed criteria and in accordance with accepted European and academic guidelines, with applying centres assessed by the EASO Obesity Management Task Force (OMTF).
The OMTF completed its assessment of North Bristol Trust’s centre and granted it EASO Collaborating centre for Obesity Management status until October 2021.
It is anticipated the centre will carry out over 200 operations in the coming year with over 90 percent of patients are discharged within 23 hours which is national leading.
James Hewes, North Bristol NHS Trust Lead Clinician for Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery, said: “We are growing our research activities and are now a recruiting centre for the By-Band-Sleeve randomised controlled trial which is the largest national surgical trial comparing the outcomes of the different operations.
“This accreditation means that we are now not only recognised as a centre providing safe and effective care, but also that we are able to work more closely with some of the leading centres in Europe treating this disease called obesity.
“The participating centres in this network will work together for quality control, data collection, research and education.
“We are a true multidisciplinary team of clinicians and allied health professionals and recently won the Team of the Year award at the Trust’s Exceptional Healthcare Awards. We are excited to continue our progress and expansion in the coming years.”
Niall Prosser, Divisional Manager for Anaesthesia, Surgery, Critical Care and Renal said: “I am delighted with the excellent service the weight management team are delivering.
“This service is fast becoming a regional and nationally recognised centre of excellence with some great innovative pathways and processes being developed and implemented.
“The accreditation recognises the quality of the of the current weight management service within North Bristol Trust as they are able to demonstrate that they meet the exceptionally high required standards.
“It’s also further evidence of the excellent service that the team are currently running.”
The team are on course to see 600 patients within the tier 3 service which is a non-surgical weight management clinic that involves assessment and treatment by a team including dieticians, psychologists and endocrinologists.
The Tier 3 service is a combination of individual and group sessions offered for up to 12 months for patients who may or may not be suitable for weight loss surgery.
At the end of the process the patient is either forwarded to surgery or discharged back to the GP.