Healthy Weight GP Project

Obesity is a complex and multifactorial chronic condition, requiring multidisciplinary long-term care. 

Visit the SHAPE website

As part of a state-wide commitment to halt the rise of obesity, as stated under The Sustainable Health Review, Recommendation 2a, the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan forms a framework for action.

 

The GP Healthy Weight project aims to empower primary health care professionals to play a more central role in supporting their patients with weight related health concerns to improve health and wellbeing outcomes, including guiding sensitive conversations around weight.

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) is committed to helping GPs and primary healthcare professionals to support patients, by recognition of the complex nature of obesity and the factors influencing body weight that give rise for a collaborative approach across systems, communities, and individuals to help achieve these health goals.

SHAPE (Supporting Holistic And Person-centred weight Education) is a centralised hub of tools, resources, and education, to support primary health care professionals to play a more central role in helping people with weight concerns to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Find out more about the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan
Project aim

To improve the number and capability of general practices providing person-centred assessment, intervention and support services for patients located in Western Australia with overweight and obesity.

Project objectives
  • To identify the barriers and enablers to patient weight management in West Australian general practice.
  • To identify evidenced based, best practice tools, resources and education currently available to support WA general practices in managing patient weight.
  • To identify crossover, duplication and collaboration and co-design opportunities with key stakeholders of the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan for support, tools and resources for weight management across the WA health system
  • To select and develop tools, resources and education to assist general practice in engaging in supportive, non-stigmatising conversations about weight, and providing support for patients in improving health and wellbeing outcomes and working towards achieving a healthier weight.
  • To establish a sustainable repository of resources and tools and processes to support WA general practices in patient weight management into WAPHA business as usual.
Scope description
  • Investigation of the barriers and enablers to managing patient weight in general practice.
  • Engagement with relevant stakeholders to inform and pilot the project.
  • Investigation of existing tools and resources support patient weight management in general practice.
  • Development and selection of tools, resources and education to support WA general practice in the identification and management of patient weight, including those which support general practice quality improvement activities.
  • Design and build of a central electronic hub to house tools, resources and education.
Deliverables
  • A centralised website and online weight management hub – ‘SHAPE’ (Supporting Holistic And Person-centred weight Education). This site houses tools, resources and education, to support general practice (GPs, practice nurses, allied health and other health professionals).
  • Conversations about Weight, a suite of online training modules for health professionals developed by Diabetes WA and are accredited by RACGP. . The training focuses on different aspects of weight management, including causation and treatments, from both the perspective of patient and health professional. Each module provides insight into the complexity of this topic, to empower health professionals to support patients and guide these sensitive, yet important conversations. As an accredited RACGP CPD activity, it includes six, self-paced one-hour modules:
    • understanding weight management;
    • conversations that engage
    • choosing the right strategy
    • SMART action planning
    • counselling techniques to activate
    • putting it all into practice
  • Tools to assist general practices in implementing weight management services as a quality improvement activity, including PDSA cycle suggestions and QI Project Brief templates.
  • Other tools and resources that assist in strengthening a person-centred, multidisciplinary approach to weight management.

Better Health, Together: WA Healthy Weight Action Plan

FAQs
Who did you speak to in Phase 1 of the project?

We spoke to local GPs, practice nurses, dietitans and exercise physiologists during the consultation. Using open-ended, semi-structured questions derived from similar literature, we conducted face-to-face interviews. Similar consumer data collected by the Health Consumers’ Council was also analysed thematically and used to triangulate themes. Seven key findings emerged from the data.

Where can I read more about the key findings?

The Phase 1 report details the kind findings and opportunities.

Who will be informing the project’s clinical deliverables?

A clinical content working group containing expertise from health system and consumer representatives, as well as clinicians, such as GPs, practice nurses, dietitans and psychologists working in the area of overweight and obesity, and disordered eating has advised the clinical deliverables of the project. 

What phase is the project currently in?

Phase 3 (embed & evaluate) and is progressing towards Stage 2 and 3 which will focus on assisting Healthcare Professionals to support children and families, and Aboriginal patients with weight related health concerns.

Where can I find out more information?

Please contact healthyweightprojects@wapha.org.au to find out more about the project.

This project is being supported by Department of Health and Aged Care as part of the implementation of the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan 2019 – 2024.

Disclaimer

While the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care has contributed to the funding of this website, the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government and is not advice that is provided, or information that is endorsed, by the Australian Government. The Australian Government is not responsible in negligence or otherwise for any injury, loss or damage however arising from the use of or reliance on the information provided on this website.