Tackling tier 3 weight management waiting lists
If you’re living with overweight or obesity, you may benefit from tier 3 weight management services. Tier 3 services are a multi-disciplinary approach to weight management designed to help you lose weight through sustainable behavioural change.
However, it’s essential to understand that the waiting list for weight management on the NHS can be long. Therefore, it’s worth seriously exploring alternatives, such as Oviva.
At Oviva, we offer NHS-funded Tier 3 weight management services, providing you with the opportunity to benefit from personalised care. You can also avoid lengthy waiting lists and gain access to prescription weight loss medication, like Wegovy.
Key Takeaways
- Tier 3 weight management services on the NHS have significant waiting times, with waits of around 2 years in many parts of the country.
- Oviva provides Tier 3 weight management services with significantly reduced waiting times – approximately 8-10 weeks from completing the survey to starting the programme.
- Tier 3 weight management services, including Oviva, aim to support you as you make sustainable behavioural changes that lead to long-term weight management.
- Oviva is a remote service, so it can easily fit into your routine and, for many, can be more convenient than scheduled, face-to-face appointments.
NHS Tier 3 weight management waiting times and alternative solutions
Tier 3 weight management services are designed for people with severe obesity or complex weight loss needs. They consist of multidisciplinary support, including help from dietitians and psychologists and assistance with physical activity.
These services are offered by the NHS, but waiting lists can be very long.
In addition, many of these NHS services are non-prescribing services, meaning they cannot provide direct access to weight loss medication to support your efforts.
Oviva also offers accredited Tier 3 weight management services, with significantly reduced waiting times and access to a category of medications called GLP-1 agonists. These services can allow you to take control of your weight loss journey and obtain support faster.
Hannah, 44, joined the Oviva Tier 3 Weight Management programme after being on a waiting list for nearly 4 years:
I’m losing weight steadily, and it’s a relief not to constantly think about food. I lost 4.5 kg in 5 weeks of being on the weight loss medications. With no side effects and a reduced appetite, this option has been life-changing, especially as a mum of two unable to afford private treatment. It’s fantastic that others can now access the help they need, too.
Current waiting times for NHS weight management services
If you’re looking for Tier 3 weight management services to help you lose weight, the NHS is the logical starting point, so how long is the wait for NHS weight management services?
Waiting times for NHS Tier 3 weight management services currently vary by location, but it’s not uncommon to wait more than 20 months. In some places in England, the waiting time for routine referrals is over 2 years.
Many factors have contributed to these waiting times, including a high demand for services and the overall disruption to the NHS caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Checking your position on the referral list
If you’re waiting for NHS services, you may be wondering: Can you check where you are on the referral list? You can usually, but the process will vary depending on where you are in the country.
Many NHS Trusts provide access to online portals to check your referral status, but availability differs. You may also check your status on the NHS mobile app.
Alternatively, you could try to contact your GP or referring clinic for an update on your referral status. However, clinics can have different policies on providing these updates.
I can now look after my grandson twice a week. I play with him and do not get as tired as I did before.
Oviva’s NHS-funded Tier 3 weight management programme
Oviva’s weight management service is convenient and accessible and allows you to circumvent NHS waiting lists.
It can also be accessed remotely from anywhere, at times that suit you. This is often preferable to having to fit in real-life appointments for face-to-face meetings.
Through the Oviva mobile app, you’ll have access to personalised support from dietitians and a real-life coach you can contact. These experts can help you to navigate everything from creating a diet plan to developing positive behaviours that you can build into long-term habits.
Oviva can also provide access to prescription weight loss medication on the NHS. This medication helps suppress appetite and increase feelings of fullness, naturally promoting weight loss while you establish weight management behaviours.
Eligibility criteria are typically a BMI over 30 (27.5 for people from ethnic minority backgrounds) and the presence of at least one weight-related health condition, such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, sleep apnoea, polycystic ovary syndrome or depression.
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