Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Childhood obesity continues to rise in the UK, with one in four children affected, and higher rates in the most deprived areas. The Complications of Excess Weight (CEW) service is aimed at supporting children and young people (CYP) and families in identifying and managing any complications associated with obesity. They provide specialist MDT support, but awareness of referral pathways, criteria, and local responsibilities is limited among DGH teams. Following a CEW service project presented at BSPED, I organised a teaching session in my department, which informed the development of a departmental guideline to support ongoing learning and improve service delivery for this cohort of patients.

Aim: To improve awareness of the CEW service, referral criteria, and baseline management in a DGH setting, and to support sustained practice change through a local guideline.

Methods: A pre-teaching survey was used to assess the team’s knowledge of the CEW service, confidence in identifying obesity-related complications, and familiarity with referral criteria. I then delivered a structured teaching session covering:

• Childhood obesity classification

• Indications and criteria for CEW service referral

• Relevant baseline investigations

• Social determinants, including ethnicity, food deserts, and areas of deprivation

A post-teaching quiz assessed knowledge gained, and a local guideline was developed afterwards.

Results: Fifteen staff responded to the pre-teaching survey; 53% were unaware of the CEW service, and only 6/15 correctly identified referral criteria. Confidence in recognising complications averaged 6.3/10.Post-teaching results (n = 10) showed:

• 100% correctly identified childhood obesity classification

• 80% knew the correct age criteria for referral

• 60% identified the correct BMI threshold

• 30% correctly selected all baseline investigations

Feedback was positive, and several team members requested more information, prompting the development of a local guideline outlining referral criteria, baseline assessments, and supportive care needed.

Conclusion: A single teaching session significantly improved the team’s awareness of CEW services and obesity management. The introduction of a departmental guideline supports sustained learning and practice. Continued education is needed, especially around baseline investigations and signposting patients to community-based supports available. Locally tailored guidelines can help bridge the gap between tertiary and general paediatric care.