Has anyone had an IFR accepted to pay for liposuction for secondary lymphoedema?

[Keb22]

Has anyone been successful with getting the NHS, through an IFR (individual funding request), to pay for liposuction treatment privately for secondary lymphoedema caused by cancer treatment with it not being available on NHS?

[sleeviejeebies]

No, I'm sorry. I've no experience of this and sorry you haven't had any replies. How are you getting on? Have OLP now agreed to do the surgery? (I remember your posts from a little while back as I went for a consultation around the same time.) Good luck!

[Keb22 in reply to sleeviejeebies]

Thank you sleeviejeebies for your reply, yes OLP have now said I am suitable for surgery, through the GP i submitted an IFR back in April but it has taken them 6 months to reply and declined it for various reasons including they don’t fund fat reduction for cosmetic reasons!!! (Hardly cosmetic) so don’t know whether to appeal as GP said they rarely fund things these days, so god willing I will go for surgery and fund it myself. X

[sleeviejeebies in reply to Keb22]

Oh, how disappointing (and insulting I would say). I'm sorry to hear that but glad at least you can now have the surgery. x

[Keb22]

Very disappointing especially as it’s on the NHS website (and NICE regulations) as a treatment but doesn’t seem to be offered. x

[sleeviejeebies in reply to Keb22]

It is! Not much of the supposedly standard treatment outlined on the NHS website seems to be offered in reality. A garment is your lot really, it seems! 😔

[Happy2015]

I believe I was extremely lucky that I got the liposuction…but it was a fight. Postcode lottery at the time. Mr Munnoch (Ninewells Dundee) did mine 7 years ago to the day! Ayrshire & Arran wouldn’t fund it, refused and I appealed. I had local MP, my work, Dr and lots of research to support my application. I don’t think they supported anymore after mine. Disgusting, it’s not cosmetic. So sorry to hear this ☹️

[Keb22]

Thank you Happy2015 for your reply, glad you got funding but I can imagine it was a massive fight. I am back home recovering after having surgery, I ended up self funding as I wanted it done sooner than later, it’s a big operation and they took out 3 litres of fat!! How are you getting on 7 years after your operation?