When we spend money on health and care services for the people of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, we take into account the needs of the whole population.
The demand for our services is always greater than the money we have available, so it is not possible for us to fund every available treatment. This means we sometimes have to make difficult decisions regarding which treatments are routinely provided.
To help us do this, we use national and local policies to ensure the treatments, operations or drugs we commission offer the most benefit to the largest number of people, while also ensuring the process is fair.
We know, however, that there are times when you could benefit from a particular treatment that is not usually funded by us. Your GP or Consultant may make a request on your behalf for such a treatment if they feel there are exceptional clinical circumstances related to your case. This request is called an Exceptional Funding Request (EFR).
View If I pay for private treatment, how will my NHS care be affected?
View the BSW ICB - Exceptional Funding Requests, Prior Approval & Criteria Based Access Policy
View the Statement on European Cross Border Health Care
View advice for Getting as fit as possible for surgery
View the General Principles for Funding Approval
View the BSW CP091 - Management of patients moving in and out of BSW
View the Medicines Management Team Advisory Summary for Private Treatments
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB Funding Policies
For a small number of treatments, individual policies for each locality still apply. View locality-specific policies for BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire.
BSW Prior Approval Application Form | Generic form if there is no specific procedural form available for the condition in question | Download application form |
BSW Exceptional Procedures Application Form | Generic form for all exceptional procedural requests. Please use the form below for medicines, devices or drug related requests, as the level of information requested on this form will not be sufficient for the committee to make an informed decision | Download application form |
BSW Exceptional Medicines Application Form | Generic form for all exceptional medicine, device and drug related requests. | Download application form |
Condition |
Funding Criteria |
Policy |
Application Form |
Abdominoplasty / Apronectomy | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Adenoidectomy (Under 18) | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Aesthetic Surgery | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Assisted Conception (IVF)
Assisted Conception - IVF Criteria Checklist |
Prior Approval | Download Policy | |
Preservation of Fertility | Criteria Based Access | Download Policy | |
Blepharoplasty & Ptosis (18 & Over) | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Body Contouring | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Botulinum Toxin for Anal Fissure | Criteria Based Access (1st Treatment)
Prior Approval (Subsequent Treatment) |
Download policy | Download application form |
Botulinum Toxin for Bladder Dysfunction | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Botulinum Toxin for Focal Spasticity | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Botulinum Toxin for Other Treatments | Various Specific Criteria | Download policy | |
Breast Reconstruction (Post Cancer & Risk Reduction) | Prior Approval & Exceptional (Secondary Care Specialists Only) | Download policy | |
Breast Surgery (Cosmetic) | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Brow Lift Surgery | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Bunions (Surgical) | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Inc. Revision Surgery) | Prior Approval (Required for Secondary Care Referrals) | Download policy | Download application form |
Cataracts | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Chalazion Excision | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Cholecystectomy | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Circumcision | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Complementary & Alternative Therapies | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Diabetes CGM Adults & Children | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Discectomy | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Dupuytrens Surgery | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Eye – Ectropion Surgery | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Eye – Entropion Surgery | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Exogen® (Low-intensity Pulsed Ultrasound for Fracture Healing (LIPUS) | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Functional Electrical Stimulation for Drop Foot (FES) | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Ganglia | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Grommets in Adults & Children | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Haemorrhoids | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Hair - Wigs, Hairpieces & Hair Transplant / Replacement | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Menorrhagia) | Criteria Based Access (For Secondary Care Referrals)
Exceptional (For Dilation & Curettage) |
Download policy | |
Hernia in Adults | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Hip and Knee Replacement | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Hirsutism | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Knee Arthroscopy | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Micro Suction (18 & Over) - Management of Earwax | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Nasal Surgery – Septoplasty, Septorhinoplasty & Rhinoplasty | Various Criteria | Download policy | |
Nasal Surgery - Chronic Rhinosinusitis | Criteria Based Access | Download policy | |
Open MRI | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Pinnaplasty | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Reversal of Sterilisation | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Shoulder Pain Management | Various Criteria | Download Policy | |
Skin Lesions (Benign) | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Skin Lesions (Basal Cell Carcinoma) | Policy Statement | Download policy | |
Snoring | Exceptional | Download policy | |
Spinal Pain (Neck & Lower Back) | Various Specific Criteria | Download Policy | Download application form |
Tonsillectomy (Children & Adults) | Prior Approval
Criteria Based Access (Peritonsillar Abscess - Quincy) |
Download policy | Download application form |
Trigger Finger Release (18 & Over) | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Varicose Veins | Prior Approval | Download policy | Download application form |
Locality Specific Policies
BaNES Policies |
Swindon Policies |
Wiltshire Policies |
Referral to Weight Management Service / Bariatric Surgery | Referral to Weight Management Service / Bariatric Surgery |