DOCTORS across the East Riding are being asked to refer obese patients to a new weight management service rather than invasive surgery.

NHS East Riding of Yorkshire has launched a trial programme this month which will see overweight people offered one-on-one advice on exercise and healthy eating in a six-month programme, instead of undergoing surgery such as fitting gastric bands.

In a report handed to East Riding of Yorkshire’s NHS Overview and Scrutiny Committee this week, the trust revealed it had written to GPs who commission weight management services asking them to no longer refer patients for bariatric surgery.

The report said: “Patients will be assessed for their suitability for the new specialist weight management service in terms of body mass index (BMI), pre-existing health conditions and willingness to commit to the programme.

“We have also written to some patients who have already been referred for bariatric surgery telling them they have been successful in gaining a place on our weight management programme. “They will need to have actively participated in the programme in order to demonstrate that all the steps outlined within the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines have been met before invasive surgery options are considered.”

The report points out that ten per cent of East Riding residents are “significantly above their ideal body weight” and said the new initiative is in line with the trust’s intention to commission services which help promote and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Achieving a healthy body weight will help relieve or reduce the risk of health problems such as heart disease or high blood pressure,” said a trust spokesman.