A NEW service is being launched in York to help overweight people shed pounds and become healthier.

The new Acomb Garth Community Care Centre will host the Weight Management service, run by York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Mike Holmes, of primary care services provider Nimbuscare, said it would provide a 12-month programme offering care to people with excess weight.

Writing in a column for The Press, he said the course would begin with a period of intense education, well-being improvement and physical activity, which would be followed by on-going support.

"During the course of the programme, patients see a dietician, physiotherapist and counsellor," he said.

"But they will also have access to a specialist doctor, who may be able to help them improve any health conditions they may have or adjust any medication they take to help them lose weight.

"To gain access to the programme, patients must be referred by their GP and have to meet certain criteria."

He said this was another great example of working with colleagues from across the city to support patients.

"This relationship between primary care and secondary care – GP practices, community and hospital services – will improve overall care for patients."

Prof Holmes said the centre was also now opening during weekday evenings and at weekends to host out of hours GP appointments.

"This is part of the ‘Improving Access’ service which offers additional GP appointments from 6.30pm til 8pm and on Saturdays too," he said.

"Our Acomb Garth centre is one of three hubs across the city offering these appointments, bookable via your own GP Practice."

He said he was very much hoping to be relaunching Children’s Ambulatory Treatment (CAT) clinics again this winter.

"These children’s clinics proved very popular for families and carers of children aged three months to 11 years with certain respiratory and other issues," he said.

"The clinics are set to commence at the end of September on Thursdays and Fridays.

"Children who meet certain agreed criteria can be referred to the clinics via their GP or other healthcare professionals.

"This service, which will see and treat up to 22 children at each clinic, promises to reduce winter pressures associated with a surge of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and is another example of how Nimbuscare is helping to reduce the number of people going into hospital."

Meanwhile, Prof Holmes said he hoped the autumn Covid and flu vaccination programme could start at the Askham Bar Community Care Centre in mid to late September, but this would depend on vaccine supplies.

He hoped to be able to offer both vaccines during one visit for those eligible, as that was what people wanted, but it depended on how the centre received this year’s supplies.