Man denied life-changing treatment (From South Wales Argus)

Man denied life-changing treatment

11:32pm Thursday 13th September 2007

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PETER Bentley-Brown urgently needs to lose weight, but fears health chiefs are denying him his best and final chance.

The 48-year-old, who lives near Abergavenny, believes bariatric surgery, to make his stomach smaller, represents his last opportunity to shed a significant amount of his 22-and-a-half stones to help improve his health.

He is willing to undergo the surgery having "tried everything else" over several years, but Health Commission Wales, which commissions specialist treatments, does not fund such surgery, and refused a funding application and an appeal against its original decision.

"It's my last option. I've been told by my physician that I fit the criteria," said Mr Bentley-Brown.

"But there are no facilities for this in Wales on the NHS and I can't afford £7,500 to have it privately."

Mr Bentley-Brown manages to work full-time but his diabetes and asthma are worsening, while his size presents difficulties in performing tasks such as bending down to put on shoes and socks.

"I've tried diets and weight loss programmes but they've not worked and I'm afraid my general health is getting worse," he said.

"Health Commission Wales says I must show exceptional circumstances but they cannot or will not define what these might be."

Monmouth MP David Davies called the case "another example of people being unable to access potentially life-saving treatment. Mr Bentley-Brown is just one of many people disappointed with the level of treatment from a service they are paying for," he said.

HCW does not comment on individual cases. It reviews specialist treatments and linked evidence before deciding whether or not to fund.

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