Published: 28 November 2024
Significant progress has been made against an action plan to improve weight management support in primary and community care, according to a new report by Public Health Wales.
The new report says that substantial activity has occurred in relation to 24 out of 29 actions set out in the Primary Care Obesity Prevention Action Plan. However, there is still much more to do, especially in areas that are wider in scope than obesity prevention.
The report also makes a series of recommendations to ensure progress continues.
These include the need to:
Alongside the report, Public Health Wales is also publishing an infographic to help policy makers, practitioners and researchers to better support postnatal weight management in primary and community care.
The Primary Care Obesity Prevention Action Plan was published in 2022 to support the implementation of the adult All Wales Weight Management Pathway (AWWMP) 2021.
The plan was developed to enable primary and community care to support weight management through four priority aims: the person-centred journey; primary and community care workforce; data and digital; and leadership and governance.
The majority of actions in the plan have been delivered via activity in four ‘spotlight’ areas:
Dr Amrita Jesurasa, Consultant in Public Health for the Primary Care Division in Public Health Wales, said:
“It is great to have seen such progress against the Primary Care Obesity Prevention Action Plan.
“Preventing obesity is a complex challenge requiring organisations and individuals all pushing in the same direction. I would like to recognise the dedication and considerable efforts of our partners locally and nationally, both in primary and community care, and in public health, including members of our multi-agency Primary Care Obesity Prevention Steering Group.
“Partners across Wales are working hard to halt the rise and reverse the trend in levels of overweight and obesity in Wales.
“But there is more to do. That is why we hope that people working on developments in policy and practice related to primary and community care will look at this report and consider the recommendations for future action.”
The Primary Care Obesity Prevention Action Plan was launched by Public Health Wales, to support the implementation of the adult All Wales Weight Management Pathway (AWWMP) 2021, in line with the Healthy Weight Healthy Wales Delivery Plan 2022-24.
The AWWMP focuses on an individual’s weight management journey from early intervention to specialist support and recognises the importance of primary and community care, describing these settings as the first point of contact for people with health and wellbeing concerns.
Primary and community care encompasses a broad and diverse range of settings and roles, including but not limited to: the four primary care contractors (Community Pharmacy, Community Optometry, Dental Practice, General Practice); allied health professionals; those working in broader community roles e.g. community midwives, health visitors, and district nurses; the non-registered healthcare workforce; and social prescribers.