Weight-loss patients face postcode lottery
Thursday 02 September 2010
Printable
EmailThousands of patients who want weight-loss surgery are facing a postcode lottery on the NHS, doctors have warned.
Some people who should meet the criteria for surgery are forced by their local hospitals to wait until they become even more obese.
An investigation yesterday by the GP newspaper found that more than half of NHS primary care organisations do not follow the guidelines set out by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).
Nice guidance says people are eligible if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. Around one million people in Britain are thought meet the criteria for surgery.
Yesterday's figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act found that 65 of 118 primary care organisations questioned rationed patient access to surgery, often by raising BMI thresholds to 50 or 60.
Dr Richard Vautrey from the British Medical Association's GP committee warned that the postcode lottery on who gets treatment is likely to get worse.
NHS data has suggested that weight-loss surgery is cost-effective in the long term, with costs generally recouped within three years.
If you have enjoyed this article then please consider donating to the Morning Star's Fighting Fund to ensure we can keep publishing your paper.
Editorial
Delay rather than resistance
Party political manoeuvring between the Greek social-democratic, conservative and fascist parties has delayed acceptance of the blackmail demands presented by the troika of European Union, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank.
Features
An imperial adventure set to continue
The growing intervention in Syrian internal affairs demonstrates the West's blatant attempt to rally reactionary Arab forces in support of its continued domination of the region, says George Galloway
All prawn and no brains...
Jacqui Smith's bizarre call to get schmoozing with the City