Photo: Mark Timberlake Unsplash.com
Let us start with shortly explaining what's a gastric sleeve and then look into the reasons why the gastric sleeve on NHS waiting list is ever growing and what are the best alternatives to it.
Shortly put, gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy, is a type of weight loss (bariatric) surgery, where most of the stomach is surgically removed, leaving a sleeve shaped portion. The effect of this is that a lot less food can be ingested, and the person will feel fuller much sooner.
Weight loss surgery on NHS
NHS annual cost of bariatric surgeries exceeds £45 billion. British government is constantly increasing the budget for bariatric surgery.
To qualify for any weight loss surgery on NHS, you need to have BMI 40 or above OR BMI 35 or more, along with a serious, obesity induced health condition. You have to have failed at other methods of weight loss and be willing to go through a time of prescribed diet and weight loss before being listed. You also need to be fit enough for anaesthetic and surgery and agree to long term follow up after surgery.
If your BMI is 50 or over, surgery may be considered without needing to try other weight loss methods first.
Gastric sleeve on NHS waiting list
Once you fit that criterion, you can begin the process, however, it will take another 6-8 months of preparations, weight loss, waiting and assessments before you are either added to the surgery waiting list (you may also be told to wait or cancelled if you fail to follow up with all the must-haves).
Only then does the wait actually begin.
The length of the waiting list depends on two main factors – the amount of funding and the number of candidates. The latter is constantly growing and the first has to share priority list with every other service NHS provides. This unfortunately means that due to no fault of NHS, weight loss surgeries are being pushed further down. Despite the government and NICE seeking to increase the budget for bariatric surgery, it would still take mammoth amounts of funds to the entire NHS to alter this picture.
Gastric sleeve surgery in Europe
To some that have failed to qualify for gastric sleeve (or any other bariatric surgery, for that matter) on NHS, private clinics in the UK can provide a solid alternative.
However, when looking for the cheapest weight loss surgery in Europe, our Weight Loss Riga clinic in the heart of Latvia holds the all-inclusive package price of £4980. The qualifications here are easier – though definitely NOT at the account of safety – and the waiting times much shorter – a few months instead of the hazy several years on any NHS list.
In conclusion, we can say that gastric sleeve on NHS waiting list is, unfortunately, very unpredictable and although this is by no means fault of NHS, those that do not easily qualify or cannot bear to wait, can have other options available to them. If this stands true for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!
