Can You Get A Breast Enlargement On The NHS?

Posted on [post_date] [post_comments] [post_edit]

Breast enlargement is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK for women looking to get bigger and enhanced breasts. Many women often see their GP to see whether they could have a boob job on the NHS and, if so, whether the NHS will fund the cost of the treatment. Choosing to have surgery at a clinic in the private sector will involve having to pay for the cost of the treatment, with many clinics offering flexible finance options to help spread the cost of the repayments. Choosing to have boob job surgery privately is still the most common pathway for most patients in the UK.

Many people come to us for breast enlargement surgery after exploring the option of NHS boob jobs. They have been led to seek treatment in the NHS due to many individuals who can have free boob job surgery in the NHS after fabricating psychological symptoms to qualify for treatment. This has inevitably resulted in NHS managers coming into the firing OnabotulinumtoxinAAbobotulinumtoxinAIncobotulinumtoxinAPrabotulinumtoxinALetibotulinumtoxinARimabotulinumtoxinBHyaluronic Acid FillersCalcium Hydroxylapatite FillersPoly-L-lactic Acid FillersPolymethylmethacrylate FillersAutologous Fat GraftingForehead Lines TreatmentGlabellar Frown Lines TreatmentCrow's Feet TreatmentBunny Lines TreatmentChemical Brow LiftLip FlipGummy Smile CorrectionMasseter ReductionJaw SlimmingDimpled Chin SmoothingCobblestone Chin SmoothingNefertiti Neck LiftMicro-BotoxMesotoxHyperhidrosis TreatmentChronic Migraine ReliefBruxism TreatmentTMJ TreatmentCervical Dystonia TreatmentNeck Spasm TreatmentBlepharospasm TreatmentLip AugmentationLip ContouringCheekbone EnhancementTear Trough FillersNasolabial Fold SofteningMarionette Line FillersLiquid RhinoplastyNon-Surgical Nose JobJawline ContouringJawline DefinitionChin AugmentationTemple VolumisingHand RejuvenationAcne Scar Subcision Filling for allowing public sector funds to be used to fund the cost of cosmetic breast surgery. Here we discuss the eligibility criteria for breast enlargement surgery and whether it is still carried out in the NHS for specific patient groups.

Can I get a boob job on the NHS?

Surgery undertaken to increase the size of the breasts as part of a breast enlargement procedure is classified as a cosmetic treatment and is not covered by the NHS. There are several exceptions to this rule. In some cases, breast enlargement surgery is required for reconstruction after mastectomy or to treat psychological disturbance from having excessively small or uneven breasts. Potential funding for a boob job will vary depending on your postcode, with each clinical commissioning group having different criteria. We would recommend speaking to your GP 1st to see if you could potentially qualify for NHS treatment. In most cases, treatment will not be available for cosmetic purposes alone.

The following are examples of where an NHS boob job may be performed:

Many women, may require breast reconstruction surgery to restore the anatomy of the breasts after surgery for breast cancer, breast asymmetry or tubular breasts. Some women may have developed congenital defects which affect the growth and development of the breasts.

Simply deciding you want to increase the size of your breasts may not be sufficient to qualify for an NHS job. There are stringent eligibility criteria, and your local NHS provider will need a medical report from a specialist showing that your mental health is severely affected by having small breasts. Most women who fall into this category have congenital defects present from birth, or women with severe breast asymmetry due to trauma or surgery for breast cancer, and suffer significant emotional distress affecting their mental health.

Will the NHS pay for my boob job?

No. The NHS has come under significant cost pressures over the last few years, and this has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with severe strain placed on elective surgery waiting lists. This is on top of the historic underfunding, which has affected the NHS for many years. In 2014, breast enlargement surgery was one of several procedures formally announced as no longer performed in the NHS. This was due to several cases reported in the newspapers with many women who had successfully obtained free boob job surgery in the NHS with treatment costs of as much as £5000 each.