Harrogate obesity and smoking 'surgery ban' move

Some patients would have to attend either a weight management programme or stop smoking service.

A health authority is to deny operations to the obese and smokers for six months as a cost-cutting move.

NHS Harrogate and Rural District Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said the new rules would affect patients with a BMI of 30 and over and smokers.

These patients would have to attend either a weight management programme or stop smoking service for six months as part of an £8.4m savings plan.

NHS England halted nearby NHS Vale of York CCG doing a similar policy.

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Amanda Bloor, of Harrogate and Rural CCG, said: "The CCG are not saying patients can't have the surgery.

'Public outcry'

"By introducing a six-month health optimisation period, we are encouraging and supporting patients to undertake a lifestyle change which will provide them with the best possible clinical outcome."

"The NHS spends around £9bn a year on patient care for those living with diabetes and with spending on obesity-related ill-health and smoking-related illness increasing year on year."

Ian Eardley, vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "The policies for smokers and overweight patients that Harrogate and Rural District CCG intend to impose ignore the public outcry that surrounded similar plans."

St Helens CCG was recently forced to abandon plans to save money by stopping all non-urgent referrals for four months.

The BMI and smoking policies would not apply to certain groups such as patients undergoing surgery for cancer, children and frail elderly people.