Severely obese patients must put forward their own case for weight-loss surgery in the latest round of NHS cuts in the UK.
Panels of NHS officials will have to approve individual patients case by case as the health service faces increasing pressure to save money.
The move comes despite guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which says that weight-loss surgery should be extended to avoid diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks. Local areas took over responsibility for weight-loss surgery from NHS England this year and several have decided it should not be routinely available, saying that patients must make individual requests for funding.
Neil Mortensen, vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons, called on officials to “urgently” reconsider. “It is very disappointing to learn that clinical commissioning groups in Yorkshire will no longer be routinely funding bariatric surgery”, he said. “It singles out a particularly vulnerable group of patients, while simultaneously going against national guidelines on how to treat them.
“Patients will now be forced to wait while their clinician applies for permission and funding for them to undergo surgery. Delaying access to surgery like this will adversely affect their quality of life, and cost the NHS more money as they fund treatment for the long-term conditions associated with obesity.”
The Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CGC) say that all such surgery must be approved by an individual funding request panel, more usually used in exceptional circumstances for treatments considered to be poor value.
A spokesman said that this “ensures that bariatric surgery is funded in a cost effective, fair and consistent way for those who are most likely to benefit.” He added: “Bariatric surgery is extreme surgery and the CCG needs to ensure that all conservative available options have been considered prior to surgery.” Harrogate and Milton Keynes are also considering similar approaches. The Vale of York was already one of several areas restricting operations to the “super-obese” with a body mass index above 50. National guidelines say patients can be considered for surgery if they have a BMI of 40 or more, or 35 or more if they have co-existing illnesses.
Fewer than 7,000 patients have weight-loss surgery on the NHS each year, but NICE predicts more than a million could benefit. They say that the £6,000 operations pay for themselves within two years by avoiding complications.
Feature courtesy of Chris Smyth (Health Editor) The Times
Susan powell says
I was turned down for WLS I did the healthy weight scheme for a year I was gutted.
Angela says
Sept 2012 I was told I needed knee replacement surgery. So overweight it was not going to happen. NHS did my bariatric surgery within 6 months. 2015 I was able to have my knee replacement on my work health insurance. 2016 a hip replacement on work health insurance. Overall saving the NHS a fortune. Sounds like these new measures are penny wise pound foolish. ☹️
Hannah Norris says
How ridiculous, when the facts are clear, and state that far more surgeries should be done, not less.. Why are these people allowed to make these decisions, that cause us such us such a massive impact to our health? It’s sheer fat prejudice, nothing less..
Kayci says
I’ve been given a date for surgery and will be undergoing surgery in November 2017. I’m very much looking forward to it. I know there is going to be a lot of emotions surrounding it once it’s done and it won’t be easy but it will be worth it. But before this, I was on the list and did the whole year prep, but because I was in a new relationship it got refused by a psychologist. I then fell pregnant so had to wait again six months after giving birth. I was then re-referred and did another year prep then unfortunately my surgery was cancelled as I found out again I was pregnant. So this is my third time lucky and I’m well on track. I’m hoping this will help my osteoarthritis,diabetes and blood pressure problems. I just want to be healthy to be able to have a better chance of running around after my kids in a park etc, but the whole process to get this far has taken me 7 years so it’s not a quick fix and certainly isn’t easily available xx
CAROL says
7 years Kayci is a very long time and I admire your resolve to finally get the surgery you want to look forward to confidence to a better healthier life. Here’s hoping that 3rd time is very lucky and that you achieve those aims and soon. All best wishes from us here at Bariatric Cookery and if we can help then you know where we are. C x