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You can stop SHINE from closing

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From MPs to NHS Clinical Directors, the great and the good all agree that SHINE’s approach to Tier 3 obesity makes a significant difference to the lives and health of at risk children and young people. But as it stands SHINE Health Academy’s positive impact could end in December. That’s when our current funding ends as it stands.

The problem with funding our work is that no-one at local or government level appears to recognise or accept financial responsibility for Tier 3 work with children who have a BMI of over 99.6 centile. There is a false belief that there is no demand for such services and that children do not require this level of input. But the 200 families SHINE works with every year would suggest otherwise.

This year SHINE has seen more families than at any time in our history. We’ve a backlog of young people wanting our services – and hospital admissions for obesity related illnesses in children are rising…

Three years ago we were successful with our Children in Need bid and avoided closure. If we do not receive future funding health professionals will no longer have access to our consultancy service, other providers who don’t fit the criteria for access to Tier 2 services will be unable to refer more vulnerable obese children to us, parents will lose a pivotal support network – and most importantly young people will become lost in a system that does not fully understand the complex journey of a morbidly obese child.

If you’re going to be affected by our potential closure, please let us know by emailing. Your voice might just save us.