Nepean Blue Mountains Family Metabolic Health Service

Contact

location Nepean Clinical School (Charles Perkins Centre Nepean), Kingswood, NSW 2747 Get directions

Postal address : PO Box 63, Penrith NSW 2752

phone (02) 4734 4533

Fax (02) 4734 1920

e-mail NBMLHD-FamilyMetabolicHealthService@health.nsw.gov.au

Referral required. Please note criteria and instructions.

Wheelchair accessible

opening hours Various

Metabolic patients can access specialist appointments, tests and programs to support healthy body weight without being admitted to hospital.

About us

Our metabolic health services improve people's health and wellness through weight loss, medication reduction and an active lifestyle.

Referral information

We see people who meet the relevant requirements for entry to the service as outlined in the current Medicare Benefits Schedule Book.

Clinic services, specialists and hours

The following specialist services are available at the Nepean Blue Mountains Family Metabolic Health Service.

Paediatric

Information

Our Kids Fit 4 Future Clinic sees people aged 2 to 15 years with obesity.

Referral criteria

  • Age > 2years but <16years + Obesity defined as > 99th percentile (CDC BMI chart) = >120% of BMI of 95th centile (CDC BMI chart)
  • or >85th centile + obesity related comorbidity.

Referral requirements and pre-diagnosis

  • Referrals will not be accepted if they do not comply with Medicare regulations as outlined in the Medicare Benefits Schedule Book.
  • Referrals are required to have supporting documentation of any medical conditions that meet criteria for entry into the service and be accompanied by an up-to-date and accurate medical summary and medication list.
  • Referrals are not accepted if the patient does not meet the criteria outlined on the referral form. The patient will be informed if they do not meet the criteria in writing. GPs and referring clinicians can access the form in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD outpatient referral catalogue.

Making an appointment

All new patients will need a completed referral form to be faxed to the health service before an appointment can be made. GPs and referring clinicians can access the form in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD outpatient referral catalogue.

Hours of service

Service

Specialist

Hours

Kids Fit 4 Future

A/Prof Gary Leong

Thursday 8am to 4pm 

Pregnancy

Information

Our OPAL clinic sees pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35kg/m2, or women who have previously had weight loss (bariatric) surgery.

The team supports the health of the woman and her baby, and helps address risks by:

  • regular monitoring and nutritional screening
  • support to be active and eat a healthy diet.

The clinic also offers a free antenatal group program open to all pregnant women, run by a dietitian and physiotherapist, to provide educate and support in relation to:

  • exercise during pregnancy (including a short exercise class)
  • pelvic floor health
  • pain management
  • preparing your body physically for childbirth (vaginal or caesarean delivery
  • safe foods for pregnancy and quick and easy, healthy snacks and diets
  • use of pregnancy supplements
  • tips on how to cope with morning sickness, cravings and food dislikes.

Making an appointment

For information and bookings, talk to your antenatal clinic or call the Nepean Family Metabolic Health Service on (02) 4734 4533.

All new patients will need a completed referral form to be faxed to the health service before an appointment can be made. GPs and referring clinicians can access the form in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD outpatient referral catalogue.

Hours of service

Service

Hours

OPAL

Monday 8am to 4pm, Tuesday 8am to 12pm, Wednesday 9am to 4pm

OPAL postnatal clinic

Wednesday 1pm to 3:30pm

Pregnancy hydrotherapy

Mondays 8am to 9am

Antenatal group program

Monday (once a month) 10am to 12pm

Postnatal group program

Monday (once a month) 1pm to 3pm

OPAL breastfeeding class

Monday (4 times a year) 10am to 12pm

Adult (healthy weight clinic)

Information

Our Healthy Weight clinic sees people aged over 16 years, diagnosed with obesity.
 

4:31

Introducing the Nepean Blue Mountains Family Obesity Service – Jacqueline's Story

The Nepean Blue Mountains Family Obesity Service applies a unique, multidisciplinary, family-focused approach to tackling the problem of obesity in the Nepean Blue...

Read transcript
Video transcript

Introducing the Nepean Blue Mountains Family Obesity Service – Jacqueline's Story

[Jacqueline Moore – Client of NBM Family Obesity Service]

When I had an operation at the end of last year which they did very begrudgingly because of my weight, but I really needed to have it done, and I have to have it done again in six months time. They said to me, "at your current weight, we really, really do not want to do it. No one wants to do it: to take the responsibility of you going under anesthetic. You need to lose some weight.

[Dr Kathryn Williams – Endocrinologist and Adult Clinic Lead, NBM Family Obesity Service]

I believe obesity is the most important health problem that our community has to focus on now, because as I said the rates are increasing and it is a significant problem, so one in three people are obese in our community, and that has significant ramifications for their social circumstances, their mental health and their general health and it will only get worse if we don't do something about it now.

[Jacqueline Moore]

Now I've tried everything else, you know, all the other diets and companies and everything, and nothing really worked. I just lost interest, went away, that was the end of them. So when I, sort of, you know, someone said, "ring the obesity clinic".

[Rhiannon – Nurse]

Good morning , Nepean Family Obesity Service, Rhiannon speaking, hello.

[Jacqueline Moore]

I then blurted out how much I weighed, and my BMI and everything, and I think she was a little bit shocked, and she sort of said, "ooh, gosh, okay..."

She rang me back, I think it was almost the next day. She said, "we're going to see what we can do for you", and I thought, "oh, thank God, you know". So anyhow I went in and I saw them, and I had all these people, you know, were coming to me and, you know, we're going to do this, we want to help you with that and, you know, we'll do it this way and that way.

I have a dietitian, I have a doctor, I have a physiotherapist and I have a counselor. And they all take their time with me, and you know, just give me little encouragements. And ring me and everything, just to make sure that I'm on track.

[Saffy Badorrek – Dietitian, NBM Family Obesity Service]

Working in a multidisciplinary team like this one, all of the professions are on par with each other. So the dietitian and the physio and the endocrinologist, we all seem to have just as important role to play in the team as each other.

[Dr Kathryn Williams]

This service is one of the very few that involves care from the cradle to the grave, so we can actually follow a patient from birth through their lifespan to old age.

[Jacqueline Moore]

You put all of that together, and you haven't just got a diet clinic. You have got a team of wonderful people that are all looking out for you, and they do seem to gear it to me.

I have had my days where it's, you know, been really, really difficult, and I have strayed. But I come straight back to it, which I never was able to do before.

[Dr Kathryn Williams]

We can all get people to lose weight over three to six months, but the ultimate holy grail is getting people to maintain that weight loss and that will be a focus of our service as well, equipping our patients with this ongoing ability to maintain their weight and their health.

[Jacqueline Moore]

It's just working. You know, between one and a half to two kilos a week I'm dropping off, I'm feeling a lot better. I know there are people there helping me, and I'm not doing it on my own. I've really got these lovely people that seem to care about me. And I've never had that before. Never had that with any of them before.

 Making an appointment

All new patients will need a completed referral form to be faxed to the health service before an appointment can be made. GPs and referring clinicians can access the form in the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD outpatient referral catalogue.

Hours of service

Service 

Hours

Adult (Healthy weight) clinic

Monday and Tuesday 1pm to 4pm, Wednesday 9am to 4pm

Adult gym

Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:30am and 2:30pm

Adult hydrotherapy

Tuesday 10:30am and 11am

Related services

Smoke-free policy

All our hospitals and locations are smoke-free. Smoking anywhere on the grounds may result in a $300 fine. View our policy.

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