FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does the report show?
It shows the centres that performed NHS bariatric surgery in 2012/13 and 2013/14. The map facility allows you to search geographically and by postcode. The hospital unit volume of operations is shown, as well as the volume for the individual surgeons. Mortality data are shown as well as operation split, frequency of revision surgery and degree of obesity-related disease present and length of stay.
How do I access bariatric surgery?
Contact your GP in the first instance and ask for help with your weight problems. If your BMI is 35 or more and you have obesity-related disease that can be improved weight loss, or your BMI is 40 or more, you may be suitable for surgery. In March 2014 the RCS and BOMSS produced Commissioning Guidance that describes how this process works 13 http://www.bomss.org.uk/commissioning-guide-weight-assessment-and-manage... .
Which unit should I be referred to?
Each region has well set-up bariatric surgery multidisciplinary teams with a full complement of specialists to help you with your care. These include dietitians, specialist nurses, physicians, surgeons and anaesthetists. Some patients may benefit from seeing psychologists and physiotherapists as well. The team will discuss with you whether surgery is a good option for you.
Not all the hospitals shown on the website http://nbsr.e-dendrite.com are bariatric surgery assessment centres (so called Tier 4 specialist centres), they may be hospitals contracted to do the actual surgery after full assessment by the local centre. It is important that you find out which service your local hospital offers. In addition due to local contracting it is possible that you will not have a choice about where you are sent for a bariatric surgery assessment or where the operation would then be done.
If you have a choice of surgery provider we encourage you to look at the data published for each hospital and discuss what it means with your GP.
Which operation should I have?
Discuss this with your surgical team. The expertise for different operations may vary from unit to unit and it is important that you are comfortable with the service you are being offered. Remember that bariatric surgery is one episode in a process of care of severe obesity, which is a lifelong chronic disease.
Does the number of operations a surgeon or unit performs make a difference to the success of surgery?
The BOMSS commissioning guide advises that units should have at least 2 surgeons and the annual volume of procedures should be at least 100 for the hospital and 40 for the individual surgeons. This is because in general for all specialised surgery the higher the caseload the better the operative results are likely to be. For bariatric surgery the staffing infrastructure is also likely to be better as all the required multidisciplinary team should be resourced and available. Read more about this on the BOMSS website 14 http://www.bomss.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/BOMSS-Professional-St... .
Which questions should I ask the surgeon?
We would encourage you to ask about experience with particular operations, unit volume and reoperation rates for complications. We would encourage you to ask about how the MDT process works, which members you will meet and how you will be followed up after the surgery. All are important for the success of surgery long term.