AN American accreditor has given a Taunton weight loss service their seal of approval once again.

The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is the first of its kind to receive the accreditation for its bariatric surgery service from the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), which it secured for the first time in 2009.

The Trust’s bariatric team at Musgrove Park Hospital follows a patient through their entire episode of care, from the very beginning when they are referred by their GP for bariatric surgery, to their recovery and life after surgery, helping them to maintain their weight loss, where they get support from the team for an additional two years.

Zoe Hall, one of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s two bariatric specialist nurses, said: “We were first accredited as a Center of Excellence by the Surgical Review Corporation when I first started at Musgrove Park Hospital, back in 2009, and we’ve managed to continue this at every three-yearly inspection.

“This year is the first since the COVID-19 pandemic that the corporation’s team made a visit, where they inspected the whole hospital, including outpatients, operating theatres, post-anaesthetic recovery, and inpatient wards, to make sure we have the right type of bariatric equipment and that we have all the tools to provide the best possible service to our patients.

“We were visited by the well-renowned Dr Neil Hutcher, a former bariatric surgeon in the United States and Chief Medical Officer of the Surgical Review Corporation.

“Dr Hutcher also checked our surgery data to make sure that we’ve done enough operations to qualify for the accreditation, and that we are assured to be an excellent organisation in our field.

“Not only have we maintained our high standards from before, but we’ve also introduced robotic surgery in bariatrics for the first time.

“Another area of innovation is our partnership with Allurion, offering patients who are struggling to get fit enough for bariatric surgery an opportunity to swallow a special gastric balloon that helps to suppress their appetite for the six months before their operation.

“Alongside this, as specialist nurses, [my colleague] Kirsty and I are able to monitor patients’ activity levels and help motivate them to keep up with physical activity and healthy eating during this time.

“We are the first NHS trust to have this prestigious accreditation, and Dr Hutcher said he was really impressed, as many others are private providers.”

Professor Richard Welbourn, one of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s consultant bariatric surgeons, said: “It is a huge honour to have this international accreditation, as it reflects the work we've done over the last 20 years, in setting up a leading unit in the UK for the treatment of patients with severe obesity seeking treatment.”

Gary M Pratt, CEO of SRC, added: “We’re proud to recognise Musgrove Park Hospital for its commitment to advancing and providing quality care for all patients.

“This accreditation signals that this facility is among the best in this specialty and is dedicated to delivering the highest level of care possible.”