Keep your GP involved in weight-management care

A referral and shared information are different things

Stela’s homepage says that a GP referral is not required and recommends informing your GP. A referral is a route into a service; sharing information is an ongoing practical task. Being able to book directly does not mean another clinician automatically knows about your appointment.

Before starting, tell Stela if your GP or another service is already helping with your weight or related health concerns. Ask what records would be useful and what permission is needed to obtain or share them.

This guide does not promise automatic access to your GP record. Stela’s privacy policy sets out its approach to handling information.

Make a simple care-contact list

You can prepare a short list for your own use. Include only the services involved in your care and keep it somewhere private.

• Your usual general practice and preferred contact details.
• The clinic or clinician responsible for your weight-management plan.
• Your pharmacy, if it is relevant to the plan.
• Any other clinician whose advice needs to be considered.
• Any recent results or letters you want the team to review.

Bring an up-to-date medicines list and flag changes since your last appointment. Health New Zealand’s telehealth guidance recommends having this list available for remote consultations. Ask the clinicians how changes will be communicated, rather than assuming records update immediately.

Agree who does what

These questions help make responsibilities explicit. They are not a substitute for the instructions your clinicians give you.

A request you can use at your appointment

You can also ask for a summary in language you understand. Check that it identifies the next appointment, outstanding results and the person responsible for following them up.

If advice from two clinicians seems different, tell them and ask for clarification before making changes yourself. If you are moving away from another weight-management provider, arrange how the transition will work rather than assuming a new booking transfers every part of your care.