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Tummy tucks on the NHS
Dr Steve Ward
Surgeons at Royal Preston Hospital carried out 52 tummy tuck operations on men and women paid for by the NHS during the last year, latest figures have revealed.
Figures for April 2009 to March 2010 show that 52 abdominoplasty procedures were carried out by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to remove excess fat and skin from people’s stomachs.
Of the 66 operations, 45 were carried out on women and 11 of these were undertaken on women aged 30 or younger.
Seven tummy tucks were performed on men and three of these three were on men aged 30 or younger.
Each tummy tuck costs in excess of £5,000 and primary care trusts fund and commission such operations and make the decision of whether it is necessary before referring the patient to the hospital for the procedure.
However, health chiefs at NHS Central Lancashire, which is the PCT for the Preston, Chorley and South Ribble areas, say that of the 52 tummy tucks carried out in the last year, they have only funded seven of them.
This means other PCTS across Lancashire and the North West have decided to fund the operations before referring the patients to the Royal Preston Hospital which is a regional centre for plastic surgery.
The NHS will not pay for surgery for cosmetic reasons alone.
Dr Steve Ward, NHS Central Lancashire’s medical director, said: “In the last year, we have approved funding for seven abdominosplasty operations.
“All decisions for individual funding requests are fully and carefully considered on clinical need and circumstance.
“We have a policy for funding abdominosplasty. If a patient fits the criteria outlined in our Cosmetic Surgery for Body Contouring Policy then funding would be considered.
“This states funding will only be considered if the loose skin is profound and is also causing problems such as intetrigo – a rash that is resistant to all other forms of treatment – or difficulty walking due to the length of the loose skin.
“Funding will not be considered purely on cosmetic grounds.“
NHS Central Lancashire has about £1,700 to spend per year per person living in central Lancashire.
Health chiefs say £5,00 - the cost of a tummy tuck - could pay for for 200 GP consultations, 84 A&E consultations, five cataract operations or a coronary artery bypass.
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