Disease prevention

The NHS 10-year plan places strong emphasis on shifting the focus of healthcare from treatment to prevention, aiming to help people stay healthier for longer and reduce demand on services. Moving from disease management to prevention depends heavily on improved diagnostic capacity and integration of pathology services across the regions.

Moving from disease to prevention will rely on pathology testing and monitoring, surveillance for infectious disease outbreaks, and increasing access to preventative treatments. Such programmes will need significant investment in the pathology workforce and pathology service infrastructure to not only supply the important tests, but also to deliver many of the patient facing services vital for prevention.

‘Life’s 10 times better’: Mike’s Story

As younger generations develop obesity at earlier ages which continues into adulthood, and with two thirds of the adult population living with overweight or obesity, it is now key to find a way to talk about obesity without causing people to feel stigmatised or judged.

Services such as NHS Grampian’s Adult Weight Management Service, a UK Association for the Study of Obesity approved Centre for Obesity Management, are helping to prevent potential obesity related diseases by bringing a holistic approach to weight management programmes.

Life on Hold

shutterstock_2381590061.jpg Obese man in consultation

Mike, 35, had been living with severe obesity and several associated health conditions for a long time. Despite attempts to address his weight on his own, his health continued to decline. In the year before starting specialist support, he had been admitted to hospital five times, spending a total of 42 days as an inpatient.

“Felt Like a Mistake”

Mike recalls: “I felt completely isolated because of my size … you just didn’t feel like a human, you felt like a mistake.”

At its peak, Mike weighed in at 40 stone and his health began to suffer. Mike went from a stressful 50 hour a week job to giving up work entirely after struggling with breathlessness and pain. “I wasn’t living, I was surviving, just. And I wasn’t surviving because I was so, miserable, angry with myself.”

Support That Listens

After repeated hospital admissions, Mike was referred to the the NHS Grampian Weight Management Service. “When I turned up it instantly felt different. For the first time I thought this is more what I have been looking for.”

Mike found real value in the group and staff support. “Because everyone on the course was all in a similar boat, you could talk to each other … it was the first time people listened.” He also appreciated the dignity and respect, “Here you went to a room separately and you was weighed … that felt so much better.”

Working with the team helped him focus on achievable goals. “It wasn’t a case of you must walk a mile every day … this one was now do you think you could do that small change? And I was like well yeah, I can manage to do that.” Gradually, Mike made enough progress to become eligible for his long-term goal of bariatric surgery.

A New Lease of Life

“I’m a totally different person....I’m so much happier. I’m on less than three-quarters of my tablets now. … that alone is a major boost.” says Mike. He has regained independence and confidence. “I went into town just yesterday … I go on buses and I’ve even been to the cinema.”

Mike is proud of how far he has come and is already planning ahead for the future, considering a return to work or further education. “Life’s 10 times better. I mean I wasn’t living before. I am now.”