Bariatric Service

Alfred health has introduced a Health Improvement Program for patients to complete prior to attending the Bariatric Clinic. 

Patients become an active participant in this process by completing an eight week health improvement and weigfht management program online. 

This program must be completed before patients can make an appointment for the Bariatric Clinic.

Our specialist multidisciplinary Bariatric Clinic includes a general surgeon, respiratory physician, general medicine physician, dietician and a registered nurse.

Patients work with our specialist team to decide on the best care option for them:

• Laparoscopic banding surgery
• Sleeve gastrectomy
• Other bariatric surgeries

Care may also include conservative treatment for a period of time depending on the patients' clinic health assessment and lifestyle requirements.

In line with the Department of Health's framework for bariatric surgery, candidates for surgery should:

• have either a BMI greater than 40, or less than 35 with two or more morbid obesity related co-morbidities
• be aged between 18 and 65 years
• have tried but failed to achieve or maintain clinically beneficial weight loss using non-surgical measures

Patients need a referral to the Bariatric Clinic for this surgery.

Obesity is a major health problem, with around 27 per cent of the population now classified as obese.

The Bariatric Service is managed by seven surgeons with a dedication to teaching and research.

Our research is about finding treatments for this group of patients, as well as promoting the idea that obesity is a disease. We have an active clinical research program, which includes collaborative studies with other departments and institutions including the Centre for Obesity Research and Education (CORE).