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In all honesty, unless you are rich or find a clinic with a solid pay plan to stretch it over several years, the chances are slim, because even the cheapest weight loss surgery in the UK is still more than a medium tax-payer can afford.
Meanwhile, weight loss surgery abroad is often generalized unsafe, based on some cases from particular countries, which no way means that they are dangerous everywhere but in the UK.
Let us look into this very relevant topic to clarify a few things.
Bariatric surgery via NHS is complicated
On NHS, weight loss surgery costs nothing to the patient, however, the rules are strict and the valuation period before even being listed for surgery (or not) can easily last over half a year.
BMI for weight loss surgery on NHS is 40 or above OR 35+ and any serious obesity-induced illness (heart condition, Type 2 diabetes, etc). You must also be able to prove that you have tried other certified means of weight loss, but have been unsuccessful and agree to a long-term follow-up after surgery.
In case your BMI is 50 or over, surgery may be considered without needing to try other weight loss methods first.
BMI, however, is only one of the conditions to be considered, and months of assessments, meetings with specialists, etc yet lay ahead – after which, if successful, the actual wait begins.
Cheapest weight loss surgery in the UK
While bariatric surgery in the UK is getting more funds and limelight, especially thanks to NICE, the number of people needing it and the prices due to the recession is growing rapidly, which, sadly, affects the situation the opposite way.
The only second option is the private clinics, however, cheap weight loss surgery and private medicine in the UK do not fit into one sentence.
While gastric band prices start around £4000, the follow-ups bring the actual costs higher, and with sleeve, the cost can reach £13 000.
Not cheap. Sorry.
Weight loss surgery abroad: prices
|
Type/Prices |
UK |
Turkey |
Belgium |
Poland |
Latvia |
|
Gastric band |
£5000-8000+ |
£4250+ |
£3200+ |
£5000+ |
£3500-4000 |
|
Gastric bypass |
£9500-15 000 |
£3038+ |
£10 000+ |
£4400-7900 |
£4775-5686 |
|
Gastric sleeve |
£12 000-13 000 |
£3500+ |
£5000-6600+ |
£3600+ |
£5500 |
*the + stands for possible extra charges when dealing with non-inclusive costs.
How much is weight loss surgery in WLR?
And speaking of Latvia, let us compare those numbers of cheapest weight loss surgery in the UK with the all-inclusive package prices in Latvia’s most popular private bariatric clinic, the Weight Loss Riga:
|
Type/Prices |
Weight Loss Riga |
UK |
|
Gastric band |
- |
£5000-8000+ |
|
Gastric bypass |
£4980 |
£9500-15 000 |
|
Gastric sleeve |
£4980 |
£12 000-13 000 |
With no irony or self-promotion, but the gap here is wide, with no loss in quality or success rates.
In conclusion, it can be said that yes, while weight loss surgery costs in the UK make it untouchable to many in dire need, and procedures via NHS might simply not happen in time, there is no shame in turning eyes abroad and aiming for professional, reliable options in Europe.
We at WLR are more than happy to answer any and all your further questions!
