Midlands NHS cosmetic operations to be cut

Cosmetic surgery paid for by the NHS will be scaled back in the Midlands in an effort to save taxpayers' money, it was announced today.

Patients currently get free operations if their appearance makes them depressed or self-conscious. Procedures include breast enlargements, nose jobs and tummy tucks.

However, bosses at Black Country hospitals say treatments with minimal health gain are to be restricted to save money and put an end to a postcode lottery on care.

NHS bosses in Staffordshire are considering a similar shake-up in relation to IVF treatment and gastric bands. Privately, breast operations can cost between £2,750 and £5,000, while the average cost of a nose job is £3,000 and liposuction can rise to more than £5,000.

Procedures such as varicose vein and wisdom teeth removal will also be scaled back under the new Black Country plans, as will the removal of tattoos, facelifts and the removal of excess skin following weight loss.

Other operations will only be carried out when all other more conservative treatments have failed. These include joint injections.

The new policies, which will cover the whole of the Black Country, are set to come into force on April 1. It is anticipated they will result in more than 470 fewer hospital admissions a year. Residents now have until March 23 to comment.

Dr Julian Parkes, Wolverhampton's clinical commissioning group board member, said: "The new policies have been developed by GPs, PCT commissioners and public health practitioners from across the Black Country.

"In having a common set of policies it is hoped that we will eradicate the idea that there is a 'postcode lottery' and ensure that every patient in the Black Country receives the same high-quality and cost-effective treatment wherever they live."

By Elizabeth Joyce