Evaluating the Transferability of a Successful, Hospital-based, Childhood Obesity Clinic to Primary Care: a Pilot Study

Overview

Obesity affects one in five children in the UK and undoubtedly causes increased ill health with rising levels of childhood and adolescent diabetes, obesity induced liver disease and increased risk of early heart disease. There are few clinics offering effective treatment for childhood obesity. However, the clinic for childhood obesity at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (BCH) has been successful in around 83% of cases. This pilot study aims to examine the feasibility of transferring the success of the hospital clinic to primary care in preparation for a full RCT. The study will entail training a practice nurse, community dietician and exercise specialist to deliver the same clinical service in primary care as that offered in BCH. Initial work will gather the views of staff delivering the hospital service and those of patients and parents to identify the crucial components of the intervention that are likely to be needed in primary care and to then to refine the intervention.A pilot trial will examine how feasible it is to recruit patients into the service and get some initial idea as to whether weight management is equally good, patient satisfaction and retention improves and what data needs to be collected for a full economic assessment. If found to be effective, the next step will be to use knowledge gained in this study to design and undertake a more extensive, formal study across Bristol in various primary care settings.This larger study will address how such a service can be delivered across a complete spectrum of primary care populations, so that similar services could be developed across the country.

The care of childhood obesity clinic (COCO) at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (BCH) provides a proven and effective treatment service for childhood obesity and is one of only a few specialist centres in the UK. The clinic service is based around a multidisciplanary team comprising: consultant; specialist nurses; dietitian: exercise specialist. This pilot study examines the feasibility of transferring the hospital clinic to a nurse led primary care setting in preparation for a full RCT. The study involves training a practice nurse to deliver the service in primary care alongside a dietitian and exercise specialist. Initial work will collect the views of staff delivering the hospital service and patients and parents which will enable us to identify the components of the service that will be needed to run a primary care based service. As a pilot we will focus on: (a) whether weight management is equally good in primary care; (b) whether recruitment, patient retention and satisfaction can be improved in primary care and (c) what data need to be collected for a full economic assessment. Children will be recruited to the trial by GP via electronic referral form designed by the study team. Families of children fulfilling recruitment criteria (age: 5-16, BMI≥98th centile) will be sent a study pack and reply form, all those who do not respond will be contacted by the COCO consultant to clarify willingness to participate. Families declining participation will follow usual care pathway. Recruited families will be randomised to one of two primary care clinics or COCO clinic.