UK GPs 'need obesity specialists'

An expert on obesity has suggested that every GP practice in the UK should have a team of obesity specialists to help patients lose weight in order to prevent serious issues developing.

Professor Leeds made the proposal in a column for the BBC website. He currently runs obesity clinics atLondon's Whittington and Central Middlesex hospitals.

Obesity costs the UK’s National Health Service £4.2 billion every year.

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He suggested that if training were provided GPs would be able to help stop obesity cases in their tracks.

“If real help was more available in primary care fewer would reach me and my colleagues in specialist hospital centres in the first place,” he said.

“I would like to see all doctors, nurses and pharmacists trained in obesity management as part of their basic education.”

The Royal College of GPs had a positive response to the proposal, but stated that funding and resources would need to be considered.