Cosmetic / Aesthetic / Body Contouring Procedures

Not Routinely Funded

Cosmetic / Aesthetic / Body Contouring procedures (undertaken exclusively to improve appearance) are a low priority treatment.  They will only be commissioned by Norfolk and Waveney ICB on an exceptional case basis.

Cosmetic / Aesthetic / Body Contouring treatments are intended to change aspects of a person’s appearance. There is insufficient evidence to support cosmetic procedures as an appropriate treatment for psychological distress such as low self-esteem or depression.

Referring patients for treatments that can only be funded in exceptional circumstances may raise false expectations.  The requesting clinician must demonstrate exceptional circumstances in that there must be ‘some unusual or unique factor about the patient’s clinical circumstances which suggests that the presentation/effect of the condition in the patient differs significantly from that found in the general population of patients with the condition and as a result the patient is likely to gain significantly more benefit from that treatment than might generally be expected for these patients.

Applications should be submitted via the Individual Funding Request form located via Knowledge NoW

Procedures that have been identified as cosmetic procedures and not routinely funded are as listed below:

• Abdominoplasty
• Buttock Lift
• Thigh and Arm Contouring
• Calf Implant
• Liposuction for Lipoedema
• Labiaplasty
• Plastic Operations on Umbilicus
• Removal of Redundant Fat or Skin

Clinical threshold policies and criteria for the following procedures can be found: https://nwknowledgenow.nhs.uk/

• Pinnaplasty
• Breast Surgery
• Rhinophyma
• Rhinoplasty
• Cosmetic Excision of Skin of Head and Neck