As many of us know, the NHS can be an incredible health service that has unfortunately suffered in recent years due to the lack of funding. While the giant cogs of the health service are trying to turn with little financial oil to ease the friction, many are still proud of their NHS. The problem many face, especially when it comes to weight loss surgery, is the staggering amount of time patients can be waiting to have surgery. Due to very minimal resources, some patients can see waiting times of years leading many to feel abandoned and have little hope for the future. Especially with the NHS weight loss surgery waiting list, this seems to be the case, but what alternatives are there?
How Patients Can Have Weight Loss Surgery on the NHS
It’s important to note that patients can have weight loss surgery on the NHS but must hit the criteria to do so. Here is a quick overview of the criteria required:
- You have a BMI of 40 or over
- You have a BMI between 35-40 but also have an obesity-linked health issue such as high blood pressure and problems breathing. There must be a clear reason that these conditions will get better post weight loss
- You’ve tried dieting, exercising, and other methods of weight loss
- You agree to make healthy lifestyle changes post-surgery
If you meet all the criteria above to be put on the NHS weight loss surgery waiting list, expect to be waiting on average around 18 months for the surgery to take place. You can clearly see why others are choosing to have this surgery elsewhere.
What Has Caused the NHS Waiting List to Be So Long?
As briefly mentioned previously, the funding the NHS receives is of course not enough to cover the cost of increasing the rate at which these weight loss surgeries are taking place. That being said when a patient has been waiting a long enough time for their surgery, sometimes their current living arrangements might conflict with their chance to finally have weight loss surgery. For example, if a patient is spending time in a different part of the country or even a different country in general. This slows down the process as they try to either make time for the surgery or get booted off the list.
This mix of underfunding, general hiccups, and understaffing leads to the perfect combination of a ridiculously prolonged waiting list. As the NHS weight loss surgery waiting list becomes longer and longer, more and more individuals are seeking weight loss surgery abroad in countries such as Latvia.
What Are the Alternatives?
The obvious alternative for many is to have the surgery at a private clinic but upon finding out the cost of gastric bypass surgery in the UK, many are disheartened. The average cost for weight loss surgery at private clinics in the UK is around £11,000 and in this cost of living crisis, many simply cannot afford it. Now, because of the extreme prices for private surgery and the extreme NHS weight loss surgery waiting list many have decided to look elsewhere for their surgery. With popular destinations such as Turkey making headlines for having botched surgeries, patients are looking elsewhere to have professional, cost-effective weight loss surgeries.
This is where Latvia shines, a beautiful country where weight loss surgery costs less than 55% of the UK’s cost. Clinics such as Weight Loss Riga are consistently producing life-changing results for many who simply cannot afford the cost of gastric bypass surgery in the UK. It boasts the perfect blend of professionalism and affordability to considerable results to kickstart patients’ health journey.
Why Settle For Less?
From professional gastric bypass surgery in Latvia to revision surgery, Weight Loss Riga is at your disposal to transform you into a healthier, happier you. No matter what your worries and questions are, the Weight Loss Riga medical team will make sure every single one is put to bed to make you confident in your decision to change your life. Our professional time will hold your hand through the whole process and make sure you stay on track with your health goals. Book a consultation today on our Weight Loss Riga website to learn more about how you can change your life for the better.
