Gastric Band Surgery On The NHS

Having a gastric band fitted on the NHS is an option which may be taken when looking in to having a Gastric band fitted. The NHS however set out specific guidelines which need to be met for someone to receive funding for the procedure. The NHS work in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the institute provides the NHS with guidance on a number of matters, and whether you receive the funding is stated in their specific guidelines.

NICE Guidelines

The guidelines you need to meet to be considered are:


  • You must be over 18
  • You must have a BMI of 40 or above, or above 35 if you have any medical problems which could be improved if you were to lose weight; Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood pressure and Cardio Vascular diseases are an example of the types of medical conditions which may assist in you meeting these guidelines.
  • You must be able to prove that within at least the last 6 months you have tried all methods of weight loss, such as Diet and Exercise, and that these attempts have not significantly improved your weight.
  • You must not have any existing problems which may affect your fitness for anaesthesia or surgery.
  • You must also commit to the follow up care after the procedure. Meaning you must fully understand that this surgery is not a ‘quick fix’ at weight loss. It will need consistent work, and you must understand that you will need to reduce your calorie intake as well as follow an exercise programme to receive the best outcome from the surgery.
  • If your BMI is over 50 you will mainly be given the first priority.
  • Every case is considered on a case-by-case basis.

NHS Across The Country

Although the majority of NHS institutes across the United Kingdom will follow these NICE guidelines, there are however some Counties which follow their own guidelines. For example in Barnsley you must have a BMI of 50 or above or anyone with a BMI between 45 and 50 with health problems which may be improved by the surgery.  Portsmouth set the BMI at 60 or above or for anyone with health problems which may be improved by the surgery at 45 or above. Other Institutes follow the NICE guidelines as well as asking for an extra guideline they wish to be met, Brighton and Hove ask for evidence that you have tried all types of weight loss methods for at least 12 months, rather than 6 months, and that all of them have been unsuccessful. South Gloucestershire give priority to people with BMI’s of 35 or above who have Type 2 Diabetes and are within the age range 18-40. Therefore it is definitely necessary to check with your own GP, as they will have the specific guidelines that your NHS institute follows.

Getting Accepted For The Procedure

If you feel you meet all of the guidelines set out by NICE , then your first step will be to visit your GP. Your GP will need to refer you on to a plastic surgeon. You will then be assessed by a Psychiatrist, who will consider all of the guidelines, and will assess as to whether you are fit for the surgery, and whether it will actually be beneficial for you. The NHS work with the Primary Care Trust, who offer money to specific hospitals for the procedure. Once your case has been studied and assessed by all means you will then be referred on to have the procedure at one of the hospitals who receive funding for Gastric band surgery.

Waiting Lists

Once you have been accepted for the surgery, you may have to wait a while, your name will be placed on a waiting list, and funding is given out on a first come first serve basis, it is however limited and differs across the country. Hospitals which perform this surgery are provided with a certain amount of funding yearly, and this must be shared out over the year. You may find that if it is late on in the year, you may have to wait for a while until you receive your surgery; as your specific hospital may not be able to fund the surgery due to perhaps funding too many others within that year.  In Scotland recently, this procedure has been offered to anyone whose Obesity was affecting their health, which caused the wait to rise, out of 250 people who initially were set to have the operation, only 165 procedures were completed. This again will need to be something you discuss with your GP as they will be able to provide you with a more precise estimate of your waiting time.

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