Read stories for and against gastric band surgery.
Are gastric bands the answer?
As the nation’s obesity crisis escalates, the gastric band is an increasingly popular option. NHS procedures are on the increase, with patients being fitted with gastric bands to improve other health conditions.  Recent estimates show that 10 per cent of NHS spending – ÂŁ9 billion a year – goes on diabetes, strokes, kidney failure and other diseases caused by obesity and diabetes.
The cost of a gastric procedure can save the NHS money in the long run, as obese patients are increasingly seen as a “burden” on the system.
However, the over-stretched health service has already proved unable to cope with demand from Britain’s obese.
Such is the interest in leading gastric surgery provider The Hospital Group’s weight loss procedures, that bookings have increased to levels above that of the NHS.
While the NHS reported that it had performed 2,724 weight-loss operations in 2008, The Hospital Group performed a total of 3,015 gastric procedures in the same period.
Along with surgery partner Why Go Abroad, the huge number of operations booked with The Group reflects a growing trend of people forced into going private in their quest for a perfect, healthier body as the NHS buckles under the strain of demand.
The Hospital Group has seen a 73.9% increase in interest in weight loss surgery, with a staggering 12,848 people seeking surgery in 2008. In 2007, 7,385 people enquired into gastric procedures.
David Ross, Chief Executive of The Hospital Group said: “As the nation becomes more and more aware of the benefit of gastric surgery it would seem that, despite the credit crunch, people seeking weight loss surgery are willing to spend more on private surgery to avoid long NHS waiting lists.
“If private surgery providers like The Hospital Group can support the NHS in improving the health of the nation, then that can only be a good thing. Our pre and post- surgical care is second-to-none with dedicated nutritionists and advisors to support gastric patients in the long-term.”
