Success of Bariatric Service at Galway University Hospitals

Living with obesity is very challenging to our physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing. Obesity is a complex, progressive, and relapsing chronic disease that impairs our physical and mental health.

Ireland has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe, with 60% of adults and over one in five children and young people living with overweight and obesity. 

There are multiple complex and interacting drivers that influence obesity including environmental, psychological, genetic and socioeconomic factors. Obesity is associated with several other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, certain types of cancer, pain and musculoskeletal disorders.

The Bariatric Service operating in Galway University Hospitals is only of one of two specialist services in the country currently providing specialist multi-disciplinary care for people living with obesity. Patients are referred to the service by their GP from counties all across the western seaboard.

Once at the clinic, they will be assessed and treated by the multi-disciplinary team (MDT). This consists of healthcare professionals and clinicians working in dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, medicine, nursing, surgery, and psychology.

A person-centred evidence-based care plan is developed in collaboration with the patient and the MDT based on the patient’s unique needs and circumstances. Patient education is an important element of this to help patients manage their condition.

Treatment of the patient by the MDT results in  improved patient health outcomes for e.g. improved mood, quality of life, and mobility, improved co-morbidities for e.g. diabetes management, hypertension and sleep apnoea.  It results in reduced hospital admissions including reduced obesity-related unplanned admissions for diabetes complications or falls and joint issues.  It also results in shorter waiting times for surgery, improved patient engagement and retention in service (i.e. lower dropout rates).

Within the Bariatric service there is a Bariatric Psychology Service for all adults living with obesity who present with psychological issues in the context of and directly related to living with the condition. This includes in-patient, out-patient, direct and in-direct work as well as work with the MDT, staff consultation and allied agencies that support the person living with obesity.

Patients in the Bariatric Service attend for psychological assessments and interventions such as Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) Psychology groups for emotional eating and binge eating. Patients who participate in CFT groups show their resilience and courage in developing compassionate insights into their thoughts, feelings, behaviours and life experiences, as they make positive changes for themselves.

Patients attending the Bariatric Service recently shared their gratitude for the compassionate, multi-disciplinary care received from the team in Galway University Hospital.

One patient Elizabeth Coyle, who is three months, post gastric sleeve surgery commented “My life has changed profoundly and dramatically in the three months since bariatric surgery. I feel like I am getting my youth back and taking back control of my health.  My life is not dictated anymore by an inability to move. I don’t have aches and pains anymore. I feel I have a different confidence about myself now”.

She added“ From the first time you meet people ( the MDT) who hear you and understand you and there is no judgement. It is like a door opening.  Because of the MDT I stopped blaming myself for my weight. The support from them was immeasurable. The MDT helped me understand better, how certain bodies work and the help we need”.

Dr Grace O’Shea, Senior Clinical Psychologist (Obesity), Galway University Hospitals, commented, “This year’s 2025 World Obesity campaign, ‘Building a Healthy Future’ aims to urgently address obesity through prevention and treatment at both an individual and population level from our government, health system and community environments. We need to build the environmental system level changes in addition to the specialist multi-disciplinary individual treatments offered in the Bariatric Service in Galway University Hospital to effectively address the obesity epidemic together”.

Chris Kane, Hospital Manager at Galway University Hospitals stated, “We welcome such positive feedback from users of this service and the difference it has made to their lives and overall health and wellbeing".