One in six integrated care boards (ICBs) in England have stopped accepting new patients for specialist weight management services as their referral numbers spiral out of control, an investigation by The BMJ has found.
Experts have said the rise in obesity and the demand for weight-loss injections may be fuelling the increase in referrals, but they blame a lack of consistent government policy for hindering the ability of weight management services to keep up with the growing demand.
“In the long-run prevention policies, including those to tackle obesity, will be far cheaper than treating the symptoms of ill-health and a new government needs to act decisively,” Buck said.