Accessing NHS Wales care and support after private bariatric surgery

Position Statement for CTM UHB

CTM UHB has developed our position statement based on views from medicine, pharmacy, primary care, weight management service and CTM Public Health teams.

In February 2024 the Welsh Government issued the Welsh Health Circular WHC/2024/005 regarding patients who have accessed private bariatric surgery and the role of the Welsh NHS. Welsh Government state:

• “Emergency or urgent care of private sector patients lies with the NHS in the event that the patient presents to the NHS services.”
• “If a post-operative bariatric patient cannot, or chooses not to access private sector follow-up, the GP may refer into secondary care, for specialist level 3/ 4 post-operative follow-up as per NICE guidance.”

Currently in Wales, the Welsh Institute of Metabolic and Obesity Surgery (WIMOS) are commissioned to deliver bariatric surgery including post-operative follow-up for a period of 2 years. CTM UHB’s weight management service do not provide this service.

CTM UHB are therefore advising all GPs encountering private post-operative bariatric patients with complications following surgery, and/or those wishing to access monitoring and supplementation via the NHS rather than through their private provider to refer them to WIMOS for assessment and support via:

Welsh Institute of Metabolic and Obesity Surgery (WIMOS)
Morriston Hospital
Morriston
Swansea
SA6 6NL
Tel: 01792 545771

Welsh Government are currently reviewing the implications on the level 4 WIMOS service and level 3 services across Wales as a consequence of the Welsh Circular. 

Read and download a copy of our patient information leaflet ‘Thinking of having private bariatric surgery?’.

An accessible version of the leaflet is also available: Thinking of having Private Bariatric Surgery?