It's a bad time to be British

Weight bias and stigma continue to run rampant. This story is really disconcerting.

http://www.weightymatters.ca/2017/10/good-lord-britain-just- banned-surgeries.html?m=1

DISgusting :(

So horrible! Especially when they have been on the forefront with weight loss surgery research! They have so much clinical data showing the effectiveness of the tool!

That's crazy. I'm not exactly sure how the British system works, I think it is similar to Canada in that it is universal health care? I've watched all the episodes of a British weight loss reality show, Fat Doctor, and all the people on that show got approval for bariatric surgery through the NHS.

That is terrible !

I think you need to clarify this a bit -- they are not banning weight loss surgery, urgent surgery, nor required surgeries. They are talking about non-urgent and elective procedures. I'm not saying that I agree with the policy, but I don't think that article was very clear. Their reasoning is that smoking and obesity increase the risk of complications, which can put increased strain on the health care system, especially if the surgery is elective. There are similar restrictions here -- I've heard lots of people saying they had to lose weight before things like knee replacement surgery.

This one is a bit better:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/17/nhs-provokes-fury -indefinite-surgery-ban-smokers-obese/

Thanks for the new article and the clarification.

I still think it's disgraceful and it creates a two tier system, and one where people living with extra weight and obesity cannot get the support they need to live the healthiest lives possible; thereby perpetuating weight bias and fat shaming. When the message comes from government saying "you don't deserve medical attention unless you lose weight" it sets a precedence for how society treats us, and our own internal dialogue of how we view success, failure, and what we deserve.

"I am fat therefore deserve less than" in life is a dangerous message both outwardly and inwardly expressed and needs to be abolished not perpetuated.

I don't care!! Elective non elective - prejudice is there!! When I was younger I had a very serious surgery...I was large and there was a skinny younger person who had the exact same surgery day before... guess who jumped out of bed as soon as she woke up and guess who was discharged 6 hours later and guess who was still in bed ... recovering... so I am sorry but it should be based on your health not the fact that you are overweight!!! Footnote -I hate hospitals and get out asap.. oh and plastic surgery for skin folds is elective? Knee surgery to help an ovt person elective.. shame on you UK!!