Funding...who, where, when why.......

[MissyMustDoIt]

funding....

why or how can some people have funding before going through the whole process, dietician, seminars etc...

when others have to do all that and THEN apply for funding.

Ive seen posts where the Dr applies for funding, and the others say that their Surgeon applies for the funding....

How, in the UK can it vary so much!

 

[Montana]

My surgeon applied for the funding, but before the surgeon would accept a referral from the Dr I had to have tried various other methods first, including dietician, xenical etc. Unless you go private I think whoever applies for the funding needs to have seen you try every other method imaginable first.

H xx

 

[flowerofshona]

I had been begging for help for so many years i had done all the diets, pills, gym referal ect and had to get the PCT to kick my doctor to refer me !! My bmi was 70 so there was not much chance i would be turned down, i think most that struggle to get funding are on the boarder line with their bmi and they try to see if they can bring about weight loss other than surgery.

 

[Raynebubble]

I think it depends on the area you live and the hospital... i was given a choice of two hospitals i could go to Luton and Dunstable and they would apply for funding or i could go to Charing Cross Hospital in London, as they are a training hospital they have there own funding.. i chose CC as i thought it would be quicker... but i still waited 3 years from referall til the op x

 

[OOnion]

If you look on your local PCT website they will have the referral process, most start at level 1(GP support) Level 2 (Weigh 2 go or other such named 12 week programmes and show weight loose), level 3 (specialist dietician etc) and go up to level 4 which is surgery assessment, you have to have gone through each level to get to the next, you must not pass go and not collect $200 but wait there until you have funding!!
xx

 

[Mrs Quiggle]

I was amazed that I didn't have to do anything at all. I asked my Dr who is very pro WLS and she filled out a referal thing. Ran through it and saying, you're diabetic so you must have seen a dietician, have you taken xenical, oh yes I can see you have, etc etc. sent the form off and I got an appointment. When I had that appointment which was a forum type one, someone asked about funding and she said that if we were there we had funding. I couldn't believe this and asked her afterwards about the funding and she looked at my file and said who's your Dr. Oh yes you've got funding. I was amazed cause I thought I was going to have to jump through loads of hoops to get there. I kept imagining that it was suddenly all going to collapse and they would say I didn't have funding after all.

Kate x

 

[anna2131]

My gp applied for my funding due to illnesses i recieved funding bmi was 48.. then i was refereed to surgeon who i saw end of november ,saw dietcian week later,saw surgeon again mid december,recieved op date for 10 th jan ,however im being done at the spire hull,whereas usually most go to castlehill iv been extremly lucky ..xx

 

[Tray3004]

I went me docs approx 3 yrs ago he asked me to rejoin ww did that for 6 mths then swoped to sw 12mths with them the 6mths xenical then referred to weight management I've just completed my 12mths with her she put in my funding request in dec and funding was granted got an appointment at regency spire to meet consultant to dicusse ops ect 16th jan x

 

[MissyMustDoIt]

wow....such different stories from all of you!!!

MrsQuiggle i would love a story like yours lol..

im still waiting for my 1st appointment so we'll see what happens from there.

Isnt it frustrating though that its so different for each PCT...pfft

 

[yorkiegal]

It doesn't just change from one hospital to another. It can be a different process for patients in the same hospital and pct.

I didn't apply for funding until after I'd had all my pre-op tests, whereas others in my support group went for the funding first. I think the team waited because my bmi was hovering under the required number.

 

[OOnion]

It can also be down to your GP interpretation and use of the guideline, for instance going to ww for 6 months can be used to meet level 1 criteria, taking xenical can be seen as level 2, and having pre excising co morbidities such as diabetes gets you through level 1-2 anyway. As long we get it...that is what matters really I suppose. Good luck to those of you waiting to hear about funding still xx

 

[Mrs Quiggle]

wow....such different stories from all of you!!!

MrsQuiggle i would love a story like yours lol..

im still waiting for my 1st appointment so we'll see what happens from there.

Isnt it frustrating though that its so different for each PCT...pfft

The whole process still took 2 years though plus an extra year because I had a heart attack and had to wait an extra year because of some of the drugs I was on afterwards.

Well worth the wait though.

Kate x

 

[Tatiana]

I originally approached my GP for referral back in November 2009 and, from then, it took 6 months and 3 appeals to get funding from my PCT, I also got a letter of backing from my rheumatology consultant to show that this process had the backing of my medical team as well as my GP.

Once I got my funding confirmation through then my GP was given a list of hospitals he could refer me to where my PCT would pay for surgery - there were about 5 or 6 on the list. We chose the local hospital and I then had to wait about 4 months from referral there to actually seeing someone.

My first appointment was in August 2010 with the medical side of the team and then the dietician and the following month I saw the surgeon and, after that, I saw the psychologist. I got an agreement from the surgeon for a sleeve but then had to wait another 8 months to see a psychiatrist (and there was nothing I could do to bring that appointment forward). I waited another 2 months for the team to discuss my case at the MDT again before finally being put on the waiting list for surgery in August 2011.

I had my surgery 3 weeks ago today but would have been waiting longer if the trust weren't being chased for having a 4-6 month waiting list when they only started operating in September 2011 which made them put on a lot of extra dates in December and January.

Good luck with your journey,

Tatiana

 

[tasha82]

funding....

why or how can some people have funding before going through the whole process, dietician, seminars etc...

when others have to do all that and THEN apply for funding.

Ive seen posts where the Dr applies for funding, and the others say that their Surgeon applies for the funding....

How, in the UK can it vary so much!

Hi Missy, it really depends on your PCT, they are allowed to come up with their own guildlines as to what to follow. I live in Kingston, Surrey & my GP had to apply for funding before I was even allowed to be refered to the hospital, but when I was at my group session a lady who lived in NorthWest london had to get the hospital to apply for funding, so it really does vary greatly. ut if you google NICE guidlines for whichever borough you live in, you should be able to see what criterea you would need to meet to get funding and atleast that way you would know what to expect and if you would be eligable for funding no matter if its your GP or Surgeon that has to apply for it.
Good luck though.x

 

[Caren]

when i phoned my pct, she said a lot of it depends on what your doctor writes, hope you have a good one xxx

 

[lyndunkia]

Hi,
I originally saw my doctor in August 09 and I was turned down for funding twice. I had been on byetta and xenical. I had done weight watchers and slimming world ( several times as well as slim fast etc lol ). I did a year with the health trainers 3 months on community weight management and 2 years on specialist weight management. I did fit the criteria and had 3+ co morbidities.
I eventually got funding ( applied for by weight management) in August 2011. I had my first appointment at Spire Manchester 31/10/11. My second 08/11/11. I saw the surgeon on 22/11/11 and had my surgery 13/12/11.
Was a long journey but so worth it.
Lyndsey xxx

 

[MissyMustDoIt]

when i phoned my pct, she said a lot of it depends on what your doctor writes, hope you have a good one xxx

really? how strange!!! do i have to start bribing the doc

 

[Tatiana]

Hi Missy, it really depends on your PCT, they are allowed to come up with their own guildlines as to what to follow. I live in Kingston, Surrey & my GP had to apply for funding before I was even allowed to be refered to the hospital, but when I was at my group session a lady who lived in NorthWest london had to get the hospital to apply for funding, so it really does vary greatly. ut if you google NICE guidlines for whichever borough you live in, you should be able to see what criterea you would need to meet to get funding and atleast that way you would know what to expect and if you would be eligable for funding no matter if its your GP or Surgeon that has to apply for it.
Good luck though.x

Hey Tash,

You are very close to me - just the other side of Molesey!!

Tatiana

 

[mariew]

I never even heard the word funding! I just asked the doctor to refer me for wls and then I went through the motions, funding was never mentioned and the whole process took exactly 2 years. I had already had a gym prescription, over 5 years of proven attempts at weight loss, lots of weight loss drugs etc. I didn't even know you needed funding until a few months ago.

 

[MissyMustDoIt]

I never even heard the word funding! I just asked the doctor to refer me for wls and then I went through the motions, funding was never mentioned and the whole process took exactly 2 years. I had already had a gym prescription, over 5 years of proven attempts at weight loss, lots of weight loss drugs etc. I didn't even know you needed funding until a few months ago.

im sure that can only be a good thing....its the only thing us pre oppers talk and worry about!! lol