First Blacktown patient receives life-changing weight loss surgery

A metabolic surgery service is now offered at Blacktown Hospital as part of the healthy weight management program in response to the diabetes epidemic and increasingly expanding waist lines.

Danielle Moxon is the one of the first patients to undergo surgery as part of this program.

Ms Moxon shed almost 35 kilos on the healthy weight management program, and following clinical team input and review she was considered an appropriate candidate for stomach sleeve surgery.

Professor of Surgery Dr Michael Edye said the metabolic program will assist with resolving dangerous conditions that come with being extremely overweight.

“This is an exciting new phase for treating diabetes caused by obesity,” Dr Edye said.

“Our team will support people who need to lose weight and protect them from the dangerous conditions that come with being obese or overweight.”

Dr Edye said the approach involves several teams across the hospital in order to achieve the best outcomes for patients in the long term, as evidence suggests this achieves greater sustained weight loss.

The program at Blacktown Hospital aims to deliver about 50 procedures during the first year of the newly established service.

All patients are assessed for suitability for surgery. For some eligible patients, once they have completed the metabolic program and non-surgical options have been exhausted, surgery may be recommended.

If surgery is the best option, as was the case for Ms Moxon, it will help her keep weight off and lose more.

Ms Moxon, who is a 40-year-old mum of one, said she was looking forward to continuing on her weight loss journey and improving her health.

“Thanks to Blacktown Hospital’s new clinic, I’ve gone from over 140kg to 105kg, and now, it’s very possible I could be diabetes-free.”

“I’d like to thank the doctors and specialists involved in my care.”

Blacktown Hospital’s healthy weight management clinic is only accepting patients from specialists who have patients with severe lifestyle impairments through reversible obesity caused conditions including diabetes.

NSW Health, in line with societal prevalence of obesity, has progressively increased access to metabolic and obesity clinics to improve the outcomes for overweight and obese people.

Further Background:

Compared to 2015/16, an additional $3.5M has been invested in 2017/18 to:

• Expand existing metabolic services in Sydney, South Western Sydney and Nepean Local Health Districts.
• Implement new metabolic services in both Western Sydney and Murrumbidgee Local Health Districts, in response to the significant obesity prevalence in these Districts.

NSW Health has a multi-disciplinary approach to support overweight and obese people to lose weight and lower their risks of medical problems without surgery.

Because all surgery has potential risks, it is recommended people exhaust all other less invasive ways of losing weight like exercise and a healthy diet, before considering weight loss surgery.

Patients wishing to access weight loss surgery in the public health system are required to attend a designated multidisciplinary Metabolic and Obesity Clinic.

Patients are considered for surgery following assessment and approval from the multidisciplinary team after all non-surgical options have been exhausted.