Weight Management Service Adult

Anti-Obesity Medications

Unfortunately, we cannot accept referrals at this current time for the above medications. Please find the latest update on our website. We will update ref help once referrals are open.

Information Section

We provide a specialist service which supports people in Lothian to lead a healthy lifestyle, manage their weight and improve their health. We also offer tailored support for those living with or at risk of Type 2 Diabetes – see refhelp pages listed below for further information

Please refer patients to the service via the referral routes below where our team of health care professionals will triage accordingly to what is best suited to the patients’ needs.

To find out more about the range of programmes we currently offer and other healthy lifestyle resources, please visit our website Adult Weight Management and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Service – NHS Lothian | Our Services opens a new window

Bariatric Surgery

There is no direct referral into the bariatric surgical service. All patients who wish to be considered for bariatric surgery are required to successfully complete the Tier 3 weight management programme. Please state their interest in bariatric surgery at the time of referral if this is the case.

The weight management service will then refer patients to the surgical service as appropriate.

If a patient has had bariatric surgery privately or abroad, please refer to the following guidance Non NHS Patients (scot.nhs.uk) opens a new window or contact the bariatric team on bariatric.service@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk opens a new window or 0131 242 1615.

Weight management for adults with a learning/intellectual disability

We run a service specifically for patients who meet below referral criteria and also have a diagnosed learning/intellectual disability. Learning disability being defined in the ‘Keys to Life’ (Scottish Government, 2013) as; a significant, lifelong condition that started before adulthood, which affected their development and which means they need help to understand information, learn skills and cope independently. In practical terms this means having an IQ assessed as being below 70.

If you are looking for information regarding our other service pathways, please find links to these RefHelp pages or website information, below:

Type 2 Diabetes Remission through Counterweight Plus

Diabetes Remission – RefHelp (nhslothian.scot) opens a new window

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention (Pre-Diabetes opens a new window)
Type 2 Diabetes Newly Diagnosed (DESMOND opens a new window)

D. R.M & S.W 08-08-24

Who to refer:

Patients that meet the following criteria:

Over 18 years old
BMI of 25 kg/m²or above or
BMI of 23 kg/m²or above (ethnic minorities)
Patients who are motivated and ready to make lifestyle changes

Who not to refer :

Patients who have a diagnosis of current eating disorder or potential binge eating disorder. Please see the Cullen Centre Refhelp page Eating Disorders (Adults) and Cullen Centre – RefHelp (nhslothian.scot) opens a new window for further details.
Patients with uncontrolled hypothyroidism
Patients suffering from psychosis or severe and unstable personality disorder
Patients suffering from alcohol or drug dependency
Patients who are pregnant (If BMI over 40kg/m2 can be referred by midwives to Metabolic Antenatal Clinic)

How to refer:

Referrals are accepted from all health care professionals via SCI-Gateway or email.

The team also accept self-referrals.

SCI Gateway referrals:

AHP – Dietetics – Weight Management – LI Type II Diabetes Remission (Sci-gateway pathway currently being amended but use this drop down at present)

Alternatively, health care professionals or patients can self-refer by completing this form https://services.nhslothian.scot/awmt2d/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2023/07/AdultWeightManagementService-Referral-Form.docx opens a new window

And emailing this back to weight.management@nhs.scot opens a new window

Contact details:

For general weight management, medication and Type 2 Diabetes remission enquiries contact weight.management@nhs.scot opens a new window

for Lets Prevent Diabetes (LPD) enquires please contact : loth.lpd@nhs.scot opens a new window

for DESMOND enquires please contact : loth.desmond@nhs.scot opens a new window

Adult Guidelines

Paediatric Guidelines