Obese or Smoking NHS Patients Face Restrictions In Surgery and IVF, UK

As it should be.

According to Pulse, smokers and obese people will become subject to several new treatment restrictions, unless they alter their lifestyle. The restrictions have been placed by GP commissioners and NHS managers throughout the UK.

In the last year, over a quarter of PCTs reported to have introduced new restrictions on surgery based on lifestyle criteria, yet some PGs argue that the restrictions unfairly discriminate against patients, with one senior lawyer warning that they could be challenged legally on grounds of equality.

According to 91 PCTs freedom of information responses, since April 2011, 25 PCTs have already placed the new restrictions on the treatment of smokers or obese patients, excluding bariatric surgery, whilst 11 PCTs reported to have restricted hip and knee replacements, and nine have restricted IVF treatments. Other PCTs have placed restrictions on breast reconstructions, nipple inversions, and open MRI scans.

Men and women in Cornwall, Devon, Torbay and Plymouth have been banned by the Peninsula health technology-commissioning group to receive IVF treatment unless they have ceased smoking for at least six months. Obese patients under the NHS Bedfordshire cannot undergo hip and knee surgery until they have lost '10% of initial body weight or moved below BMI 35', whilst the NHS North Essex states that patients need to 'have lost at least 5% weight and have maintained that 5% weight loss for at least six months'.

Even though last year the NHS in Hertfordshire caused controversy by banning hip and knee operations for those whose BMI is higher than 30, as well as for smokers, unless they attended a smoking cessation course, they have now extended their policy to all routine surgery.

Fat people have higher complication rates, by choice, and should either improve their condition prior to elective surgery/procedures or pay more for it to cover their increased costs, again, by choice.

Bravo, UK.