Some patients choose to undertake bariatric surgery privately.
Not all bariatric centres offer a complete service and this could cause difficulties for patients and their care. If you arrange bariatric surgery privately you cannot rely on the NHS for dietary supplements or follow-up care in relation to this.
To help guide your choice of provider, the following gives important details you need to consider:
Psychological Support
Psychological (mental health) support is usually needed by all patients before and after bariatric surgery. Support can be provided in many different ways including in a group or on your own.
Please talk to your bariatric centre to agree the support which is best for you.
What care should you expect before you have bariatric surgery?
Before you book your surgery, the bariatric centre which you have chosen should carry out certain assessments which should include:
– A complete nutrition assessment by a specialist dietitian, who is an expert in bariatric nutrition.
The dietitian should offer you support and provide important information as part of the process to help you to prepare for your surgery;
– Blood tests which look at nutrition deficiencies, diabetes, cholesterol level and kidney function (routine blood tests not related to bariatric surgery will still be provided by the NHS)
– Any nutrition deficiencies which are identified may need to be treated before bariatric surgery can go ahead.
Your chosen bariatric centre may advise you to follow a low calorie/low carbohydrate diet before your operation to reduce the size of your liver.
– Because low calorie/low carbohydrate diets may not provide all the nutrients you need, you may need to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Your chosen bariatric centre should tell you whether you need to do this and the type of supplement and amount to take – you should buy any vitamin and mineral supplements yourself.
What care should you expect after you have bariatric surgery?
It is important to understand that people who have chosen to have bariatric surgery privately, either abroad or in the UK, are not entitled to NHS follow-up care. People who have had bariatric surgery need lifelong follow up care to ensure that their nutrition needs are met. Providing this follow‐up care, including the monitoring of your nutritional needs is the responsibility of your chosen bariatric centre for at least two years after your surgery. It should be included in the package you have agreed with your chosen bariatric centre.
After the first two year follow up period, further follow up of your nutrition needs is still important and should be assessed at least once a year. This may be provided by your GP if they have agreed to do this with your bariatric centre. However, if your chosen bariatric centre has told you that your surgery causes malabsorption (a condition caused by the gut not absorbing nutrients), they should provide follow up care for you for longer than two years.
What nutritional supplements will you need after you have bariatric surgery?
After any bariatric surgery, you will need to take a complete multivitamin and mineral supplement every day. You will need to buy this yourself and you should take the amount advised by your chosen bariatric centre.
Some examples of easily available, suitable multivitamin and mineral supplements are:
– Asda A-Z Multivitamin & Minerals Tablets
– Morrison’s A-Z Multivitamins & Minerals
– Numark/Rowlands A-Z Multivitamins & Minerals
– Sainsbury’s A-Z Multivitamins & Minerals
– Sanatogen Complete A-Z
– Superdrug A-Z Multivitamin + Minerals
– Tesco A-Z Multivitamins And Minerals
– Vega ZM3 Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
