South Western Sydney Local Health District

Winner​: Keeping People Healthy Award

In 2018, South Western Sydney Metabolic Rehabilitation and Bariatric Program (SWS MRBP), introduced two new clinics as well as a nurse-led group education session for all new patients. This education session helped people undertand what to expect in the program and decide if this was the right program for them. Baseline and 12 month questionnaires and data collection was embedded as part of routine care for ongoing quality improvement, along with ethics approved research in collaboration with Western Sydney University academics.

This revised model of care resulted in:

• Reduced waiting list from 465 to 71 patients in the first 12 months.
• Around 1000 patients attending group sessions (and many more relatives/friends/carers) with over 650 patients joining the program over the past 6 years.
• The mean weight loss at 12 months was 6% body weight with significant improvement in obesity related co-morbidities including Type 2 diabetes.
• There was a significant improvement in quality of life, psychological distress and eating disorders at 12 months, independent of weight loss.
• Some patients have undergone bariatric surgery as part of the program, with increasing numbers offered surgery in the program.

The SWS MRBP’s holistic multidisciplinary model has improved access to care and demonstrated improvements of physical and mental health outcomes in people with severe obesity. This model enhanced efficiencies and ongoing quality improvements aided by routine data collection, and this model has also contributed to national eating disorder guidelines.​​