Jun 12, 2014

How Might NHS Surgery Restrictions Affect You?

Nobody disputes the fact that the NHS is under immense pressure to reduce its costs. One of the organisation’s cost saving measures has been to reduce patients’ access to a certain surgical procedures.

It comes as no surprise that ‘cosmetic’ surgery or perceived cosmetic surgery is top of the restricted list. Breast reductions and some post weight loss or post bariatric surgery may be obvious but cataract removal, hip and knee replacements and gastric band operations, have all come under scrutiny as tighter restrictions are imposed on GPs and the surgical referrals they make.

Relatively minor treatments such as varicose vein removal are being scrapped altogether, and almost 90% of NHS trusts imposed restrictions on tonsillectomies.

In the wake of these and the ongoing review of NHS procedures, GPs have seen a phenomenal increase in patients enquiring about paying for operations including cataract removal and joint replacements, but also patients needing operations for a hernia, gallstones and female patients with urinary incontinence are having to consider paying privately.

Our surgeon Mr Fortune Iwuagwu said, “It is clear that there has been an increase in the number of patients looking at private treatments since tighter restrictions were imposed on NHS surgical procedures in 2011. However, patients should take care when considering private treatments that the surgeon they choose has the right qualifications and experience for the surgical procedure they need. It is wise for one to get a GP referral to see a private consultant. However, cosmetic surgery patients can always refer themselves and in the main most do but I would still encourage all patients to keep their GPs in the loop.”

Mr Iwuagwu receives referrals from a number of GPs in Essex, East London and beyond and can carry out a number of procedures now restricted or not funded at all by NHS trusts.

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