Getting started
Your General Practitioner (GP) can refer you to our clinic via the NHS Choose and Book system, or by writing to us. To be accepted for an appointment with our team, you must meet the National NHS Commissioning Board guidelines. This means that you must meet the following criteria:
- BMI of 40kg/m2 or more, or between 35 kg/m2 and 40kg/m2 or greater in the presence of other significant diseases (for example, Type 2 diabetes or obstructive sleep apnoea)
- Have had morbid/severe obesity for at least five years.
- Have recently received and complied with a local specialist obesity service weight loss programme (non-surgical tier 3/4), described as follows:
- This will have been for duration of 12-24 months.
- The non-surgical Tier 3 / 4 service may be community or hospital-based.
- There must be evidence of attendance, engagement and full participation in the above non-surgical tier 3/4 service. Engagement can be judged by attendance records and achievement of pre-set individualised targets.
- If you have a BMI greater than 50kg/m2, we can consider surgery as a first line option (ie without the need to have dieted previously). However patients must be assessed and medically stabilised for a minimum period of 6 months with the bariatric surgery team.
...and all of the following criteria:
- Have followed a tier 3/4 weight loss programme service as above but failed to achieve or maintain adequate, clinically beneficial weight loss AND
- Be willing to see the various specialists that we recommend and follow our instructions AND
- Be generally fit for anaesthesia and surgery AND
- Be committed to long-term follow-up care with us
Weight loss surgery is an option if you are obese, well informed, motivated, and have realistic expectations about what surgery can achieve for you. You will undergo a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary assessment before you can proceed with surgery.
Weight loss surgery requires commitment
Making the decision to request weight loss surgery is a serious step and it is important that you fully understand what it will involve and what changes you will have to make.
From your first visit we will work with you to develop a long-term weight loss plan. We will continue to support you for many years after surgery.
Surgery is considered a tool for weight loss. Weight loss with surgery requires commitment and motivation. It is not a quick fix.
You will gain the most success from surgery and will avoid complications if you can commit to the recommended changes to your diet, exercise and lifestyle, and maintain them for life. This is not always easy to do but we will help you to make these changes.