Wellness Improvement Service – Lifestyle Medicine in Practice

The Wellness Improvement Service (WISE) is a new NHS service in Wales for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health board.

Patients with chronic symptoms and chronic disease are at risk of general deconditioning and their physical and mental health
declining with increased risk of poly-pharmacy and multi-morbidity. WISE offers Wellness Coaches to support patients for up to 9
months to help mitigate these risks.

Wellness Coaches empower patients to realise what they can do to manage symptoms and regain a sense of control over their own
health. Patients are coached and educated through a structured programme that addresses all the pillars of lifestyle medicine. The
service is supported by Lifestyle Medics who interact with patients through a Virtual Group Clinic.

Referrals are accepted by WISE for the following conditions:

• patients on long routine waiting lists
• Chronic symptoms at risk of routine referral to secondary care
• Chronic pain including fibromyalgia
• Reduced mental wellbeing
• Risk of heart disease
• Gastroenterology – IBS

Patients are initially seen for a 1:1 assessment with the Wellness Coach and then coached in a group setting where sessions are
held in the community as close to the patient’s postcode as possible. Patients can be coached virtually if they choose.

The aim is to stop patients deconditioning while on waiting lists but also alleviate some of the flow on to waiting lists as well
enhancing the quality of life, physical and mental health of the patients.