GP Weight Loss
Clinic in Biggera Waters, Gold Coast
A Doctor-Led Weight Loss Clinic In Biggera Waters
If you have tried diets on your own and the weight keeps coming back, you are not alone, and it is rarely just a matter of willpower. At Harbour Town Doctors, our GPs offer medical weight loss support that looks at the whole picture, including your health, your medicines, your sleep, your stress and any conditions that make losing weight harder.
Our GP weight management program starts with a proper health assessment and builds a realistic plan around your life on the northern Gold Coast. Where it helps, your doctor can refer you to a dietitian, exercise physiologist or psychologist, assess whether medical treatment is suitable for you, or refer you to a specialist to discuss weight loss surgery.
We are an accredited bulk billing practice open 7 days at Harbour Town Premium Outlets, Biggera Waters. You do not need a referral. Just book an appointment with any of our GPs and let reception know it is about your weight, or call 07 5222 7117.
Health Conditions Linked To Weight
Weight management is about much more than a number on the scales. Carrying extra weight raises the risk of several long-term conditions, and a doctor-led weight loss plan looks after all of them together. These are the areas our GPs check and manage most often.
How Our GP Weight Management Program Works
Our weight management program is run by your own GP rather than a sales team, so the advice is medical, personal and based on your health, not a package. There is no set diet to buy and no lock-in, just regular appointments with a doctor who knows your history.
Three Levels Of Weight Loss Support
Everyone starts in a different place, so our doctors match the level of support to your health and your goals. Most people begin with lifestyle support, and your GP can step things up if you need more help.
Lifestyle Support
Practical changes to eating, movement and sleep, planned around your routine, with regular check-ins to keep you on track.
- Nutrition and meal planning advice
- Activity you can realistically keep up
- Sleep and stress strategies
- Referral to a dietitian
Medical Support
For some adults, adding medical treatment to lifestyle changes can help. Your GP explains the options, benefits, side effects and costs so you can decide together.
- Assessment for prescription medicines where suitable
- Supervised very low energy diet programs
- Treatment of related conditions such as diabetes
- Psychology support for emotional eating
Specialist Referral
When weight is having a serious effect on your health, your GP can refer you to specialist services and stay involved in your care before and after.
- Referral to a bariatric surgeon to discuss weight loss surgery
- Endocrinology and specialist weight clinics
- Ongoing GP care and monitoring after surgery
- Chronic disease management
Prescription medicines for weight loss are not suitable for everyone and are only prescribed after a full assessment with your doctor. They work best alongside changes to eating and activity, and your GP will talk you through ongoing costs, as many are not subsidised on the PBS for weight loss.
What Is Medical Weight Loss?
Medical weight loss simply means losing weight with the help of a doctor. Instead of a one-size-fits-all diet, your GP becomes your weight loss doctor, looking for the reasons your weight has changed and treats your health as a whole. It suits people who have struggled to lose weight on their own, anyone with a weight-related condition, and those who want advice they can trust before trying something new.
What A GP-Led Program Includes
- Led by a doctor who knows your medical history
- Blood tests to check sugar, cholesterol, liver and thyroid
- Treats the conditions that make weight harder to lose
- Medicines reviewed, including any that cause weight gain
- Referrals to dietitians, exercise physiologists and psychologists
- Bulk billed GP consultations for Medicare card holders
Things Your GP Will Take Into Account
- Emotional eating and stress
- Poor sleep and shift work
- Menopause and hormone changes
- Medicines that affect appetite or weight
- Pain or injury that limits exercise
- Weight regained after previous diets
For practical advice on eating well alongside your plan, read our guide to nutrition and chronic disease.
Medicare Support For Weight Management
If your weight is linked to a long-term health condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or osteoarthritis, you may be eligible for a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan. Since 1 July 2025 this single plan has replaced the older GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements.
A plan can give you access to up to five Medicare-rebated allied health visits each calendar year, so part of the cost of seeing a dietitian or exercise physiologist is covered. Eligibility depends on your health, so your GP will check whether a plan suits you, including whether you need to register with our practice through MyMedicare.
Read more about chronic disease management at our clinic, or our guide to chronic disease management plans.
Costs At A Glance
- GP consultations for Medicare card holders are bulk billed
- Up to 5 Medicare-rebated allied health visits a year with a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan
- Visits can be with a dietitian, exercise physiologist, psychologist or other eligible provider
- Allied health providers set their own fees, so a gap may apply
- Your plan is reviewed with your GP to keep your referrals current
Weight Loss Clinic FAQs
Answers to the questions patients most often ask our Gold Coast GPs before starting a weight management program.
Do I need a referral to see a GP about weight loss?
No. You can book a standard appointment with any of our GPs to talk about your weight. Let reception know it is for weight management so enough time can be set aside for your first assessment. You can book online or call 07 5222 7117.
Is weight loss support bulk billed at Harbour Town Doctors?
We are an accredited bulk billing practice, and Medicare-eligible GP consultations are bulk billed. Services from outside providers, such as dietitians, exercise physiologists or some blood tests, may have their own fees. Our patient information page has more on billing.
How much weight should I aim to lose?
For most people, a steady loss of around half a kilo to one kilo a week is a safe and realistic pace. Losing 5 to 10 per cent of your starting weight is a meaningful first goal, because it can already improve blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Your GP will help you set a goal that suits your health.
Can a GP prescribe weight loss medication?
For some adults, a GP may discuss prescription medicine as part of a wider plan that includes changes to eating and activity. Whether it is suitable depends on your weight, your other health conditions and the medicines you already take, and it is only prescribed after a full assessment. Your doctor will explain the possible side effects and the ongoing cost before you decide.
Can I get Medicare-rebated visits with a dietitian?
If you have a chronic health condition that has lasted, or is likely to last, six months or more, your GP may prepare a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan. This can give you up to five Medicare-rebated allied health visits a year, which can include a dietitian. See our chronic disease management page for how plans work.
Can my GP refer me for weight loss surgery?
Yes. If your weight is having a serious effect on your health and other approaches have not worked, your GP can refer you to a bariatric surgeon to discuss whether surgery is an option. Your GP stays involved before and after surgery, including checking nutrition and vitamin levels in the long term.
Can you help with weight after having a baby?
Yes. Many women want support with weight after pregnancy, and your GP can help with a plan that fits around feeding, sleep and recovery. It is a good topic to raise at your six week postnatal check, which is covered on our pregnancy and antenatal care page.
Do you help children and teenagers with weight?
Yes. Our GPs take a gentle, family-based approach for young people, focusing on healthy habits for the whole household rather than dieting. Your GP checks growth and general health and can refer to a paediatrician or dietitian if more support would help.
Start Your Weight Loss Plan With A Harbour Town GP
No referral and no program fees to sign up for. Book a standard appointment, tell reception it is about your weight, and your GP will take it from there. Open 7 days at Harbour Town Premium Outlets, Biggera Waters.