The National Health Service (NHS) in England is under fire for restricting access to obesity services, with patients in nearly half of the country unable to book appointments with specialist teams for support and treatments like weight-loss jabs. An investigation by the British Medical Journal found that budget cuts to local services have disproportionately affected obesity care, leading to a “postcode lottery of care”. The restrictions amount to NHS “rationing” of obesity services, according to experts.
The investigation revealed that one in six local healthcare areas could not access bariatric surgery, a highly effective treatment for obesity. Dr. Nicola Heslehurst, a professor at Newcastle University, warned that current weight management services do not meet the needs of patients and called for “radical” action to address rising obesity rates and associated health costs.
Data from England’s integrated care boards (ICBs) showed that more than a third reported restrictions on tier three obesity services, while tier four services, including gastric bypass surgery, were limited in many areas. John Wilding, a professor at the University of Liverpool, noted that obesity services are often not considered a priority, leading to biases against patients with the condition.
The findings of the investigation were corroborated by a report from the Future Health research agency, which highlighted a lack of detailed plans to tackle obesity within NHS ICBs. Calls for urgent government action and the establishment of minimum service standards for obesity care were made in response to the findings. NHS England stated that it is working with the Department of Health to improve the obesity pathway.
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