Slimming world on refferal?

[prettykins]

Has anyone had any experience with this?
I'm out of work at the mo and saw my dr today about getting referred via the NHS. It does say on the Sw website that the nhs will fund 12 weeks of Sw if you meet certain requirements, BMI etc.
My dr was most unhelpful, and basically told
Me he didn't know whether the nhs still do this. He also asked if I smoked and then worked out that I could afford to pay for Sw if I gave up smoking . That's fair enough I suppose . I don't ever buy cigarettes as they're too expensive so I spend around £8 a week on tobacco. I also plan on giving that up for new year.
I just thought he was really unsympathetic and unprofessional

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

I know of at least one person on this forum who had a referral, but that was last year (I think) and things may have changed since then. I also don't think all areas offered it.

It's disappointing that your doctor wasn't more sympathetic, but I guess he is more concerned about the effects of smoking on your health than he is about the weight. However, he should have offered you some support to stop rather than just say you could afford to go to SW if you gave up smoking.

There will be joining offers shortly - could you afford to go to at least one meeting and have the new members talk and get the information/'instruction' pack and then do it yourself with the aid of this site? There are some changes coming in and so it may be worth waiting until the New Year to join, so that you get the most up to date information.

 

[prettykins]

Hi
Thanks for the reply. I probably will do that, to get the new books etc. I have been to classes before so I still have my old books but I've heard there's going to be some changes.
Thanks for your help x

 

[WannabeThinna]

I tried to be referred and my BMI was too high (!). A year later I was a bit lighter and my BMI was in the right range so I was referred and got 12 free weeks on SW.

 

[jen3]

My friends daughter was referred a year ago. I would see another doctor!

 

[prettykins]

Thanks Jen3, I was thinking I might make another appointment. I've never liked the dr I saw but he was the only one available.

 

[AnnaFaraday]

It will vary from place to place depending on what the local NHS organisation has decided. Going to a different doctor might not change the outcome, although you might get a more sympathetic response.

But any doctor will single out smoking as one of the worst things you can do for your health, so expect to hear that again, whoever you speak to.

 

[ticktock]

I'm currently doing sw on referral and theres been lots of changes to how they do things, it used to be 12wks referral then you got another 12wks if you had lost 5% and sometimes more blocks of 12wks until your bmi was under 25. Now they want to get rid of referrals altogether so they are stricter on who gets vouchers, only give 12wksmaximum no matter on start weight or weight lost, and there are penalties too, if u miss a week without reason your vouchers get cancelled and you get charged, if you quit, you get charged for unused vouchers.... you have to fill in food diary and have 2 apts, a wk apart before you get vouchers and once given you have to join within 7days or again you get charged! probs easier to just join when the offers start in Jan

 

[prettykins]

I'm currently doing sw on referral and theres been lots of changes to how they do things, it used to be 12wks referral then you got another 12wks if you had lost 5% and sometimes more blocks of 12wks until your bmi was under 25. Now they want to get rid of referrals altogether so they are stricter on who gets vouchers, only give 12wksmaximum no matter on start weight or weight lost, and there are penalties too, if u miss a week without reason your vouchers get cancelled and you get charged, if you quit, you get charged for unused vouchers.... you have to fill in food diary and have 2 apts, a wk apart before you get vouchers and once given you have to join within 7days or again you get charged! probs easier to just join when the offers start in Jan

Thanks for the info ticktock.
I got a call today from the drs reception, saying they don't do Sw referral anymore. They do a free service called healthy routes which is online, so I will have a look at that.
I suppose it's a bit cheeky of me really, I wanted to see if I could get Sw free for a while as I am
Now paying for the gym which works out to about the same price monthly, and can't afford both.
I have done Sw on and off for years I can't really imagine doing a different plan. The new changes sound interesting so I may just join in jan to get the books.
I am reading a brilliant book at the moment called 'slim for life' by Jason vale, it's quite old but very eye opening.
Thanks for the info/ advice everyone xxx

 

[WannabeThinna]

Did you check to see if your doctor can do a gym referral? I know that mine do, so it's possible.