Weight-loss surgery patients not receiving proper aftercare
A peer-reviewed observational study from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the University of Birmingham suggests that the majority of patients don’t receive the recommended follow-up care from their GPs after weight-loss surgery.
While clinical guidelines recommend that patients receive nutritional and weight monitoring annually for life following procedures such as a gastric bypass, the new study published on 14 December 2020 shows that this does not appear to be happening in most cases.
Researchers say this can lead to patients putting weight back on or developing low levels of vitamins and other nutrients, which can have serious health consequences.
The team, led by Dr Helen Parretti from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, wanted to find out whether the nutritional care and weight monitoring delivered by GPs following bariatric surgery meets current clinical guidance. They studied data from 3,137 patients in the UK who had received bariatric surgery between 2000 and 2015.
It is the first study to investigate whether patients receive sufficient long-term routine care and monitoring in primary care following weight loss surgery.
Dr Parretti said: “Patients are supported to make changes to their eating before surgery and these changes need to continue after surgery to help avoid putting weight back on and to keep well. In addition, it is important that patients take lifelong nutritional supplements after their surgery.
“But patients need support to achieve this after their operations and current guidance recommends this is offered by GPs. Without this, weight loss surgery has long-term risks such as nutritional deficiencies, and weight regain can occur.
“There is international clinical consensus that long-term follow-up care following bariatric surgery is important to optimise patient outcomes and reduce the risk of preventable harms.”
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network West Midlands.
