Yeovil woman thanks Musgrove in her battle against the weight (From Yeovil Express)

Yeovil woman thanks Musgrove in her battle against the weight

1:10pm Thursday 12th November 2009

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A YEOVIL woman has thanked Musgrove Park Hospital for helping in her battle against weight problems.

The obesity service at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton has just been awarded level one status by the South West specialist commissioning group.

Musgrove is the only hospital in the entire region to be awarded level one status and is effectively the only regional centre commissioned to provide the full range of obesity surgery services.

As a result of this designation there will be a significant increase in the amount of bariatric surgery carried out at the hospital.

Consultant surgeon and clinical lead for the bariatric service, Richard Welburn, said: "Last year we carried out 173 operations at Musgrove, a mixture of gastric by passes and insertion of gastric bands."

One satisfied patient with the service is Suzanne Sinclair, of Yeovil, who has been going to Musgrove since 2007.

"Before I had the operation I was 26 stone 8 lbs," she said. "After two years I had got down to 11 stone 4!

"I have put on a bit more now, but that is good news as well as I’m pregnant.

"We had been trying to get pregnant for about five years, but we were not successful until I got my weight down. The baby is due in mid-December.

"The whole team at Musgrove do a fantastic job and I was really pleased to hear about the award.”

Mr Welbourn said that they hope to increase the number of operations at Musgrove up to 275 and that they have also been asked to take on an additional 90 cases.

Mr Welbourn added" “The majority of the surgery we carry out is now laparoscopic or keyhole surgery, which is far better for the patient.

"And we are also committed to research and training, providing courses, fellowships and mentorship programmes regionally, nationally and even internationally.”

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