Hidden cost of treating obesity in our hospitals

Extra large wheelchairs are among the facilities needed for obese patients.

NHS Lanarkshire acquired a set of scales capable of measuring the weight of the extremely obese while Greater Glasgow and Clyde has several sets of over-large patient gowns.

But all this equipment has come at a cost – particularly when the cash- strapped NHS is struggling to make ends meet.

According to documents obtained by The Sunday Post under Freedom of Information l e g i s l a t i o n , Du m f r i e s and Galloway’s health board spent £89,497 in the last financial year alone on equipment for obese and overweight patients.

This included six armchairs to take patients up to 50 stones in weight, five 40- stone capable commodes and six beds able to cope with patients weighing up to 70 stones.

Many health boards choose to hire special obesity equipment as and when they need it but this can run up bills of tens of thousands of pounds as well.

The Scottish Borders health trust hired 30 special beds for obese patients in 2015- 16 and this cost £133,296.

Donald Cameron, of the Scottish Conservatives, said: “Hospitals have no choice but to cater for the demands of a population which is becoming increasingly overweight.

“Obesity is fast becoming Scotland’s foremost public health challenge and these statistics compound that.

“And while there is always more the NHS and Scottish Government can do on tackling obesity in general, we need to recognise that this is predominantly an issue of personal responsibility.

“It’s critical we get more people leading an active lifestyle and eating healthily from a very young age.”

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