Bariatric surgery waiting list (FOI)

Request

A

Please advise how long from initial appointment with the bariatric consultant does it take to get on the waiting list for surgery? 

B

When on the waiting list, how long is the longest wait to date for bariatric surgery?

Response

A

From the time of initial consultation and assessment with the bariatric surgeon, the wait to be listed for surgery will vary, according to clinical priority and whether any preliminary investigations (for example, gastroscopy) are required. If investigations are required, these need to be completed before a review appointment. For these reasons, waiting times can range from zero to six months.

As noted in previous Freedom of Information responses for queries relating to the bariatric service provided by Health and Community Service, surgery is prioritised according to urgency, and patients with cardiac disease or diabetes are considered a high priority.

B

Historic waiting time data is not available by planned procedure in a central record. Identifying the information requested would require examination of the individual records of all patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. A Scheduled Public Authority is not required to create new datasets nor manipulate existing datasets in order to respond to Freedom of Information requests.

Analysis of the current waiting list has been performed and, as of 5 October 2023, the longest wait for bariatric surgery is 779 days.