How does the weight management service work?
If you want to learn more about how our weight management service works, this guide goes through the details of what you should expect and prepare for before booking a consultation.
1. Checking you're eligible
Our weight management service is for adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or more (with obesity) or a BMI between 27 kg/m² and 30 kg/m² (overweight) and weight-related health problems such as heart problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and prediabetes.
Find out your BMI below, then fill out the questionnaire when you book to see if you're eligible for a consultation. The questionnaire will determine your eligibility for an initial consultation, but it does not necessarily mean you are suitable for the weight loss options we provide.
2. Preparing for your consultation
You can book a consultation at your nearest Rowlands Pharmacy or via a video call with one of our online pharmacists. Consultations take approximately 30 minutes.
Our pharmacists are duty-bound to verify patients' identities before prescribing medication. We’ll check your identity against one of the following documents to prove who you are.
- Passport
- Driving Licence (full or provisional)
- National Identity Card
Your pharmacist will ask to see your weight; therefore you will need to step on scales.
Online Consultation Requirements
If you are booking an online consultation, you will receive an email with a booking link from HasHealth. You will need a good internet connection and a mobile device with good camera quality so our pharmacist to see you properly and take readings of your scales. Please avoid wearing heavy clothing such as hoodies and baggy trousers as they could interfere with your results.
3. What to expect during your consultation
Your pharmacist will ask for a reading from the scales and will ask you questions about your physical health, mental health, lifestyle, and why you feel you need help with weight loss. Please make sure your answers are honest, clear, and to the point so that your pharmacist can get through as much information as possible in the 30 minutes you have. If you're unable to get through everything in the allotted time, a follow-up consultation will be arranged.
If you are deemed suitable for our weight loss programme, your pharmacist will discuss the different options and give you a tutorial.
Payment
Once deemed eligible, you will make your payment, and your medication will be sent to you via Royal Mail.
4. Check-ups with your pharmacist
You will have regular check-ups with your pharmacist to monitor your progress and weight maintenance, enabling them to determine whether the programme is effective for you and to increase your dosage if necessary. This typically occurs every four weeks. We aim for you to lose at least 5% of your body weight after six months.
5. What you can do
Whilst on our weight management service, you will be expected to improve your diet and fitness routines to get the best results, which can include:
- Introducing a high-fibre diet
- Starting a 500-calorie deficit
- A 35% calorie reduction target
- Halving meal sizes
- Drinking at least two litres of water a day to avoid kidney stones and gallstones
- Doing regular exercise
Overview:
| Do | Don’t |
| Have a photographic ID at hand | Wear bulky or baggy clothes |
| Have your repeat prescription list to hand | Give your medication to another person to use |
| Ensure there is sufficient lighting in the room you are in (Online) | |
| A device with a good signal and camera quality (Online) | |
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