I wouldn't expect a GP to do it. They're effectively gatekeepers, but I would expect them to be able to signpost to meaningful, practical ways to support and assist the people they are 'advising'. Surely, it'd be cost effective if it reduced the burden on the NHS?
89 (very specific) consultations with 89 different doctors assessing 89 different patients who were all obese?
Public Health England opened its doors on * 1 April 2013, as local authorities took on their new public health responsibilities. In essence the old NHS responsibilities were transferred to local councils * e.g. weight loss / stop smoking etc. Lots of 'inceptives & targets' to make it better... difference being a local authorities have to stay within budget regardless of 'demand / local need' - with a focus on 'set targets' and local authorities can 'outsource' services to private or back to NHS [!] providers - add in layers of contracts & bean counters... Final mini rant - as much has 'had' [& it did] to be spent / costed on Covid services etc. little is published on how much has not be spent ['saved' would be wrong] on services cancelled by Covid - a friend who works in NHS procurement & project management pointed this out to me the other day...
Agree. But they should be required to have an excellent understanding of nutrition and how it can cause and conversely prevent or reverse disease. Instead it's drug driven (treating or even just masking the symptoms rather than addressing the causes). It's not a 'health care' system.
I totally agree. They also seem to miss the contribution other prescribed medications can be having on the assessments that are based on scoring a number of factors, especially when a patient has more than one underlying issue.
But GPs are effectively the private sector really, as they are separate businesses. They’re paid to achieve targets set by the NHS. I don’t disagree with what you’re saying but they won’t normally, on consistently anyway, do stuff that isn’t in the their contracted targets as far as I’ve seen, so if the NHS want that to happen they have to write it into their contracts.
Fair comment, but the point remains the same, that simply saying 'lose weight' without meaningful support is not cost effective, nor a health benefit.
Not disagreeing at all. Just saying their are levers to ensure that happens which aren’t currently being pulled.
Yep. It's not so much the fault of doctors, it's 'the system' . (I've mentioned before that a system thinker called John Seddon talks hell of a lot of sense and has proven answers .... but those in positions of power don't want to know ..... I wonder why?!)
Err not sure I once tried to get something into GP contracts nationally (unsuccessfully, although I understood why) and at the time at least they regularly reviewed the targets and the payments based on achieving them. Not sure how it works now but in theory at least it was quite a good system, but naturally led to some only doing what was needed to achieve that targets (classic hitting the target and missing the point)
The dietitians and counselors are not there in sufficient numbers, or with appropriate support for a kick off. Compare it to what's there for drink and drugs, which is still inadequate.
Again, that fragmentation is part of the issue, especially as PHE has been changed, and is now two separate entities. Between them and local councils, the lines are blurred even further, and most seem to focus on discrete campaigns, rather than a meaningful, wholistic strategy based on how the patient initially presents. At that end of that line is a frustrated individual being told 'lose weight' no matter if they're ill or not.
My apologies. I hadn't realised you'd spoken to the doctors involved and they'd all admitted they were wrong.
Given you seem to have forgotten that your initial reply was about the Council rather than Doctors, you'll have to forgive me for just assuming you're thick.
