Please be aware that the NHS does not fund follow-up care for patients who have undergone private bariatric surgery either abroad or in the UK. GP Practices are not funded to provide this follow up care, and nor do they have the expertise. This policy is in line with the guidelines set by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS), which emphasise that follow-up care after bariatric surgery should remain with a specialist bariatric service for at least two years following your operation.
Providing follow-up care for bariatric surgery, especially when the procedure was performed overseas, is beyond GP expertise and could potentially compromise patient safety due to differences in regulatory requirements, guidelines, and possible language barriers.
If you chose to have private surgery abroad, we recommend that you find a UK-based private provider of bariatric services who can take over your specialist follow-up care following the procedure, for the next two years. This will ensure that you receive the necessary care and monitoring to maximise the success. If you have private surgery in the UK, the specialist can continue your care.