MP Mike Penning has condemned a new policy of refusing operations to obese patients in Dacorum.
The Hemel Hempstead MP has written to health chiefs outlining his concerns about the regime, which means people with a BMI of 35 or more will be told to lose weight before they can be listed for ‘non-urgent’ surgery.
The Herts-wide regime is thought to be the first in the country and thousands of patients awaiting procedures such as gall bladder surgery, tonsil removal or hernia treatment will be affected.
At the same time smokers will be told to see a counsellor for help in kicking the habit or they, too, will be refused operations.
Mr Penning said: “It mustn’t be up to a bureaucrat somewhere – it must be up to the clinicians.
“It’s a matter for the consultant, surgeon and GP to decide if people are clinically fit for surgery.”
Health chiefs deny the move is about saving money, though GPs are cutting the number of consultant referrals in the face of mounting debts.
Nicholas Small, a GP and chairman of Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said obese patients had more complications following surgery and were more likely to die.
“We haven’t costed up what this will save because this is not the primary issue,” he said.
“It’s about getting people healthier.
“If there were some savings that were made that will be a good thing for the people of Herts because it will allow us to invest in other services.”
Last year a policy was introduced of refusing hip and knee operations to the obese and to smokers who refused to attempt to quit. The smoking rule was expected to save £158,000 per year.
The NHS is in a period of transition with Herts Primary Care Trust working alongside Herts Valleys CCG, a consortium of GP practices that will take over responsibility for commissioning services next year.