NHS vouchers and holiday?

slimmingmummy

Full Member
Sorry another question but was wondering weather i will lose two vouchers for the two weeks I'm on holiday. I go away in two weeks and am telling my consultant Thursday is that to short notice? will i lose my tow vouchers or will i be able to start where i left so i don't lose two weeks? Does anyone know?
 
Usually with the vouchers you have to tell them at the beginning which dates you will be away when you first start your journey but I did mine a year ago now so may be it's a little different. All you can do is talk to your C and see what she says
 
Oh bummer! I just read the small print and it said the same thing i should have read it before really. Im not sure my consultant knows im on vouchers but its all on the system. Will see if i can get round it. x
 
vouchers??

Some people can get NHS vouchers for SW on referreral from their GP. I think you get 12 weeks worth for free then you have to pay.

Not all PCT's do this though and some do WW not SW.

As for the OP, the more notice you give your Consultant for holidays the better. If you know you are away in the future just let her know. Are you planning to continue once the vouchers have run out hun?
 
To get vouchers from the GP you have to have a certain BMI i think its 30 but not 100% and cant already be at a slimming group. I was 14sn 7lbs when i started. You do it with you Practise nurse going back at 6 weeks and 12. They take waist measurements ans weigh you and keep it on the system. Im on my 2nd lot of 12 vouchers so i think i wont be getting anymore. If you do well on your first lot then you will get a 2nd lot. Also you dont have to pay a joining fee. Not all doctors surgery do it but fortunately mine does. I was told by my slimming world consultant to ring my GP's before i started as had no idea they done them. Its not very well known they do them. I even was told by a GP to lose weight and he never told me about vouchers.
Im going to carry on going to club even when they run out, i could do it on my own but i get something out of being weighed and collecting the stickers lol xx
 
You need to ring your GP and ask them. I'm not sure of the criteria, I think you need to be above a certain BMI.
 
Our PCT criteria is BMI over 30 and there needs to be a minimum length of time since you were a member of a slimming club. It's handled by a certain department so the GP faxes a referral, you have to ring and have a chat. I was offered WW or SW then she looked up my local group for me, booked me in then sent my count down vouchers. I have to ring up after my 12 weeks and give my start/finish weight. If I have lost over 6 lbs (I have, hurray!) then they have said I can have 12 more weeks. I've found there is something very motivating being on GP referral and it has helped me out of a tight spot whilst DH is job hunting.

With the increase in weightloss surgery in the news recently it would be good to see more areas offering this.
 
i hope it carries on as it is a valuable source for low income families who need help getting started. Im sure its a lot cheaper than the treatment of weight related illnesses over the course of time...
 
Is this means tested though? I didn't think it was, I thought it was just dependant on whether or not your GP had this on offer and your BMI was in the correct catagory.

I've just read some statistics on the SW website -

34% were considered morbidly obese (BMI>40)
Average attendance was 9.4 weeks (of 12)
64% completed the programme (10 of 12 weeks)
Average weight loss of completers was 5.5% (4.2% across total population)
55% of completers lost ≥ 5% bodyweight (39% of total population)
Non-completers attended an average of 5.6 weeks and lost 2.1% of bodyweight

I actually think 64% is a pretty low completion rate really, and why is it only 10 weeks out of the 12? If this is to be offered then surely it should be compulsary to attend or perhaps the money should be paid back into the NHS for those who don't complete the course.

Anyway, going off topic a bit now, I'm not offering my opinion on whether or not I agree with the vouchers but I do think these stats are not very good!
 
It doesnt go by income just your weight, im really glad iv been able to get some and going back to the nurse every 6 and 12 week keeps me on track. Its a shame that some people dont complete them though.
 
I was on the vouchers, wasnt in a particularly high BMI category (just over 30 I think so might have been just in the zone to qualify)

I attended every week, (and I did have holiday that I was able to book at the start so didnt lose any weeks), got my Club 10 within the first couple of months, got both sets of vouchers (you have to go for a check up after the first 12 weeks and if you are doing okay, you get the next 12 weeks) and once they ran out, I continued doing SW as a paying member and plan on doing so until I reach target (which is only around 1/2 stone away now).

I agree those stats arent great - but in my case the vouchers were a great help. I would never have dreamed of joining a slimming club before, but now I'm a full convert, recommending to friends, bringing recipes to group, always make stuff for tasters, staying every week for IT etc. I think getting rid of the vouchers would be a big mistake - and I dont agree necessarily it should be means tested - I probably wouldnt have qualified in that case, so probably would never have considered joining, and would be costing the NHS more down the line in my inevitable obesity related illness, diabetes etc.

Those stats do seem rather negative - I volunteer at the pay and weigh so see how many people come in with vouchers, lots of them come every week and have some great losses. I suppose though i probably wouldnt remember those that just turn up for a couple of weeks then drop it, or miss loads of sessions, so maybe its not a good as i think it is.
 
Do not agree with these one bit unless you are low income and dont drink or smoke.
Why should some pay and some not?
 
I wasn't going to get into all that, I actually agree with Mandy's post - although she says she wasn't in a very high BMI catagory and would most probably not have been able to get the vouchers if it was means tested, what she did say was that she probably wouldn't have joined a slimming club if the vouchers were not available. This, I think, is a good thing as she has continued to be a member and sucessfully lost weight.

Not drinking/smoking/low income doesn't really come into it in my opinion. It's those who don't stay the course which annoy me and should be made to pay the voucher cost back into the rather strapped NHS.
 
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