The Lifestyle Adviser Support Service (LASS) provides advice and support to help adults make changes to their lifestyles with a view to protecting and improving their health in the future.
A Lifestyle Adviser, based within a health centre, uses health behaviour change theory, motivational interviewing skills and the provision of dedicated time to support clients to make and maintain changes to their lifestyles. The service helps people to focus on their physical activity, smoking, healthier eating, safer alcohol use and emotional well being.
The target group is adults aged over 16 years who are at risk of developing coronary heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases/illnesses. Clients in this group may present with the following risk factors:
- high blood pressure
- overweight
- smoking
- raised cholesterol
- alcohol issues
For some people, it may be beneficial to follow a structured weight management programme. All Lifestyle Advisers are trained and skilled in delivering the Counterweight programme which is an evidence based weight management programme being recommended by the Scottish Government for use in primary care. If you would like to find out more about the programme, you can visit the Counterweight website at www.counterweight.org
The Lifestyle Adviser allows for a 45 minute–1 hour initial appointment followed by a series of 20-30 minute review sessions. These follow-up sessions are to maintain motivation, support continued change, to respond to further changes identified and gather evaluation data. Clients are offered a series of appointments to support them through their programme of change. There is no fixed limit on the number of appointments per client though we recommend that a client meets with a Lifestyle Adviser for up to 6 sessions over a 3-6 month period. This will vary depending on the clients needs.
Usually clients do not need to wait any longer than 2-3 weeks for a first appointment.
The Lifestyle Adviser Support Service now offers Keep Well screening to eligible patients in addition to Lifestyle Advice and Counterweight. Keep Well is a health programme to help clients keep well as possible. By carrying out a free and confidential health check, we can find out if there is a chance if a client could develop conditions like heart disease or diabetes, and can give advice about the change they can make to improve their health.
