Having access to a multidisciplinary team (MDT) is one of the most important factors in ensuring safe, effective, and long-term success after bariatric surgery. This isn’t just a one-time operation — it’s a lifelong health journey. A coordinated team ensures every aspect of your physical, emotional, and behavioural health is supported before, during, and after surgery. A comprehensive evaluation by the team ensures you’re medically, psychologically, and nutritionally prepared.
This identifies and manages risks like sleep apnoea, diabetes, eating disorders, or nutrient deficiencies before surgery. This allows us to provide individualised care and to tailor plans to match your body, lifestyle, goals, and medical history — not a one-size-fits-all approach. This is the best way to ensure long term success. Weight loss is just the beginning. An MDT supports healthy habits, mental resilience, sustainable lifestyle change and prevention of weight regain. We provide core members of your bariatric team. Here’s why they matter:
| Team Member | Role |
|---|---|
| Bariatric Surgeon | Performs the surgery and manages surgical care. Dr. Lara assesses whether you’re a good candidate, explain options (e.g., sleeve vs. bypass), and oversee post-op healing. |
| Dietitian | Emily teaches pre- and post-op nutrition, manages deficiencies, and helps develop lifelong healthy eating habits. She is vital for preventing complications like malnutrition or dumping syndrome. |
| Psychologist | Talia is not a gatekeeper. She is on the team to screen for mental health issues, eating disorders, body image concerns, or emotional eating. She helps develop coping strategies, behaviour change, and motivation. |
| Bariatric Nurse or Coordinator | Your go-to contact. Gemma and Michelle guide you through appointments, tests, education, and follow-up. Keeps everything organized and consistent. |
| Peri-Operative Physician | Manages chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension), communicates with the surgical team, and ensures continuity of care. This ensures that surgery and the post-operative period in hospital are as safe as possible. |
| Exercise Physiologist | Our collaboration with Kieser Exercise Physiologists provides a free assessment in the immediate post-operative period. This helps to develop a safe, effective exercise plan after surgery to boost metabolism, mobility, and prevent muscle loss. |
| Bariatric GP | Dr. Hilda, through her work at Alevia Medical Weight Loss Clinics, has becomes an expert in obesity and pharmacotherapy. She helps to manage complex hormonal issues like thyroid disorders or PCOS and is essential to the long term follow up of patients. |
| Support Group and Buddies | Peer support is powerful. If requested we can facilitate linking you up with a previous patient to act as your ‘buddy’ – a non-clinical person to act as a support through your journey. While we always encourage running your own journey, many patients find that having this extra support can help them feel connected, heard, and encouraged. |
Having a multidisciplinary team isn’t just “nice to have” — it’s what separates us as a team from others. We are not interested in quick fixes, we want to achieve lasting success. Each team member brings critical knowledge that supports your journey from surgery prep to lifelong transformation.