article_snippet.sent: Patients who are too fat could be denied routine operations to save money, a survey of health bosses has revealed.
article_snippet.sent: The criteria for accepting patients for operations would be based on operations Body Mass Index, which measures obesity.
article_snippet.sent: Procedures affected include varicose vein treatment, hip and knee replacement, and breast reduction surgery.
article_snippet.sent: Dr David Paynton, of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'Decisions about whether our patients are eligible for surgery or treatment need to be made on a case-by-case basis and by whether surgery will benefit a patient's long-term physical and mental health. '
article_snippet.sent: It should not be the role of CCGs to impose blanket bans on patients' access to surgery, nor to decide who is and who is not deserving of potentially life-saving treatments based on patients' lifestyle choices.
article_snippet.sent: Obese patients could be denied varicose vein treatment, hip and knee replacement, pictured, and breast reduction surgery, while smokers could be banned from having IVF on the NHS . '
article_snippet.sent: Of course, some procedures cannot be performed on patients who are above a certain weight. '
article_snippet.sent: In these cases, a clinical decision needs to be made about whether surgery would be beneficial if the patient lost weight –
article_snippet.sent: Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: 'Each case must be individually assessed and each decision must be ethical and in the best interests of the patient. '
highlights_snippet.sent: Obese patients could be denied knee and hip replacements and breast ops .
  