Former 50-stone man frustrated at NHS surgery rules

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A former 50-stone man who was refused NHS bariatric surgery because he was not classed a serious enough case, says NHS Wales should rethink how it treats morbidly obese patients.

Zac Smith, 40, of Rhoose, Vale of Glamorgan, paid £9,000 for surgery.

He lost 27st after the gastric sleeve procedure in India, which was refused on the NHS as he didn't suffer enough from high blood pressure and diabetes.

NHS Wales plans to increase bariatric surgery from 80 to 300 a year by 2018.

The body can be altered by the surgery, where a gastric band, bypass or sleeve is inserted which restricts the volume of the stomach available for food.

A public health report last week revealed a quarter of four and five-year-old children in Wales are overweight with one in 10 classed as obese.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28642696
 
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