Information for patients on NHS support following self-funded weight-loss treatment

Patients considering seeking private treatment of any kind should always discuss this with their GP surgery before taking action.

Weight-loss medication

GPs and speciality weight management services will not be able to automatically prescribe weight-loss medication, even if patients have already been prescribed it privately.

While there are certain weight-loss medications available for prescription on the NHS, these can only be prescribed to people who meet certain criteria, and have been assessed by the relevant health care professional that this treatment would be appropriate.

Bariatric surgery

Patients do not have the automatic right to re-enter NHS care (from private care) at any time during an episode of care in this situation.

Although NICE recommends specialist multidisciplinary team (MDT) follow-up for two years following bariatric surgery, this will not be routinely provided on the NHS for those patients who have self-funded their surgery abroad, and responsibility remains with the bariatric centre who performed the surgery.

Read more about the factors we would urge you to consider on the NHS website:

Going abroad for medical treatment

The NHS will still provide emergency care. Patients who become acutely unwell as a result of their treatment should still access care in the most appropriate setting, either through a GP, pharmacy or via urgent or emergency care.