Should the NHS pay for obese surgery? This Morning weigh in on the debate – Express.co.uk

He unveiled an incredible eight-stone weight loss last year after attending an intensive weight-loss boot camp.

But Steve Beer returned to This Morning after reaching his heaviest weight of 35 stone.

The 46-year old admitted personal issues in his life had seen him once again resort to comfort eating.

But despite his morbid obesity, he claimed the NHS were refusing him weight-loss surgery.

Steve spoke with presenters Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield on today’s show.

He said he believed the NHS has ‘failed’ him after denying him bariatric surgery.

This surgery is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach with a gastric band or through removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) or by resecting and re-routing the small intestine to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass surgery).

Steve claims the NHS are insisting he lose weight before they consider him for surgery but he insists he needs help before it’s too late. 

He said: “When I look in the mirror, I find myself slowly passing.

“I’ve had three strokes,” he admitted, before breaking down in tears.

Steve’s wife Michelle joined him on the sofa and told Holly and Phil she was now his full-time carer.

But Steve insisted that despite his inability to lose weight, he was not lazy.

This Morning opened up the debate to the phone lines. Caller Phil believed that if the NHS were capable of treating murderers, why not obese patients?

He explained: “People who have committed the most heinous of crimes are treated. 

“But God forbid if you’re a kind and good person but fat.”

What do you think? Do you believe Steve needs NHS funded surgery?

He said: “I’m never lazy. I went away to bootcamp when I couldn’t walk or run to sort myself out.”

However, Steve’s mobility had now decreased to a shocking level. He admitted to Phil and Holly he struggled to walk even a short distance of metres.

Dr Zoe joined the debate. She said she believed Steve needed bariatric surgery but it was essential the NHS provided Steve with psychological help to get to the root cause of his overeating.

Holly added: “The problem is time may not be on his side.”

from myhealtyze http://www.myhealtyze.tk/should-the-nhs-pay-for-obese-surgery-this-morning-weigh-in-on-the-debate-express-co-uk/