The Wigan Weigh: Tackling weight stigma with compassion in primary care

Health Equalities Group is working with NHS Greater Manchester to deliver The Wigan Weigh, a new programme supporting primary care teams across Wigan Borough to have more compassionate and supportive conversations about weight.

Running throughout 2026–27, the programme will help healthcare professionals feel more confident raising the subject of weight in a respectful, person-centred way. It will also support primary care teams to recognise and reduce weight stigma within healthcare services.

Conversations about weight can be sensitive and personal. Patients may worry that they will be judged, while healthcare professionals may feel uncertain about how to introduce the subject or which language to use.

Weight stigma can have a significant effect on people’s experiences of healthcare. When patients feel judged because of their weight, they may have poorer experiences of consultations or delay seeking support. Stigma can also affect mental wellbeing, eating behaviours and physical activity. In some cases, assumptions about weight may mean that other health concerns are overlooked.

The Wigan Weigh brings together two complementary areas of training. HEG’s “Why weight to talk?” training will provide a one-hour session for staff across all 56 GP practices in Wigan Borough. More in-depth, face-to-face Weight Stigma Awareness Training will also be delivered to each of Wigan’s seven Primary Care Networks, helping teams develop practical, compassionate and person-centred approaches to conversations about weight. Alongside the training, we have worked with stakeholders across Wigan Borough to map local services that support healthy weight, from programmes delivered by the Be Well team to support provided by third-sector organisations.

Delivery of the Weight Stigma Awareness Training is already well underway. Between June and July 2026, HEG delivered sessions to four of Wigan’s seven Primary Care Networks, with further training planned for autumn 2026. Each session lasts approximately two and a half hours and is designed for the whole primary care team. This includes GPs, nurses, clinical pharmacists, Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme colleagues, practice managers, receptionists and administrative staff.

Participants hear directly about patients’ lived experiences, explore the complex factors that influence weight and consider how stigma can affect people’s health and their interactions with services. Teams also identify practical ways to use more supportive language, create more inclusive clinical environments and approach conversations about weight with greater empathy.

Participants have particularly valued hearing about patients’ experiences and having dedicated time to discuss the changes they can make as a team.

Through Wigan Weigh, HEG and NHS Greater Manchester are supporting primary care teams across Wigan Borough to make everyday conversations about weight more respectful, inclusive and positive. By reducing stigma and strengthening person-centred practice, the programme aims to improve patients’ experiences of healthcare and help create services in which everyone feels supported.

Michael Viggars, Senior Project Manager at HEG said:

“Conversations about weight can be difficult for both patients and healthcare professionals, particularly when people are worried about saying the wrong thing or causing harm. Wigan Weigh is helping primary care teams build the confidence, knowledge and practical skills they need to approach these conversations with greater compassion and sensitivity. By listening to people’s lived experiences and challenging assumptions about weight, we can help create healthcare environments where patients feel respected, supported and understood.”