The Royal College of Physicians has responded to the publication of new NICE quality standards on advice and support after stopping medicines for weight management or completing behavioural interventions.
Member of the RCP advisory group on weight health and nutrition, Dr Lorraine Albon, said:
“The new quality standards from NICE are exceptionally welcome, and recognise the vital importance of providing sufficient wraparound care to patients who are prescribed weight management medications. It is vital that we ensure that once people have reached a healthy weight, they can be supported to maintain it.
“In our recently updated position statement on obesity the RCP made it clear that care needs to be flexible, tailored, and accessible to patients based on clinical need and should be delivered in a range of community and clinical settings including digitally. We are therefore hopeful that the new guidelines which require feedback for a minimum of one year after treatment, well-rehearsed action plans, and a range of options for follow-up sessions will be the first step in ensuring patients are able to sustain a healthy weight.
“While there is rightly a focus on how to best apply emerging medical therapies, they are not, by themselves enough to make meaningful and lasting progress on tackling obesity at a population level. Clinical interventions must be complemented with broad, bold action from government to tackle the social and environmental drivers of obesity.”