Private Bariatric Surgery

Information for patients considering private bariatric surgery

Patients who choose to have bariatric surgery privately (abroad or in the UK) are not entitled to NHS follow-up care for this condition unless they have completed the NHS tier 3 weight management programme prior to going down the private route.

In the first 2 years post bariatric surgery, people require specialist follow-up which cannot be provided by your GP. This should be provided by a specialist in post-bariatric surgery care.

The 2 year care package required after surgery includes;

• regular blood test monitoring after your operation over 2 years
• monitoring for any complications of surgery
• Ensuring a person is on the correct lifelong supplements to prevent deficiencies in the body as a result of the surgery.
• In certain situations, lifelong injectable medications are also required to prevent b12 deficiency (depending upon the surgery a person has).

Without continuing life-long supplements, people will become unwell over time.

Before embarking upon bariatric surgery it is important to understand the life-long follow-up care required to ensure that a person’s nutritional needs are met. Please organise your post-surgery care package before you embark on this journey to ensure you are looked after safely.

It is standard practice for providers of bariatric surgery to provide post-operative care for the first two years after surgery. If your surgery was within the last two years, then your first step is to contact your private bariatric provider as this should have been included in your private treatment package. The private provider should not be providing surgery without providing post-surgical care (without making formal arrangements for that care to be provided by an alternative provider). This follow up package should include monitoring of your nutritional needs, for which you will need blood tests to check you are on the right supplements.

For lifelong follow up care in Devon beyond two years surgery, we are presently developing an approach that will enable patients who have had NHS and privately funded bariatric surgery to receive the required monitoring and reviews. We are hoping this approach will be implemented over the coming months for which new policies and guidelines will support this. Once finalised and agreed, Devon ICB will be communicating this approach to general practices so you may find it useful to reach out to your GP practice who should hopefully be able to update you in due course.