Health board will not refuse surgery
The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board say that plans to force overweight patients to go on weight loss courses before they can undergo planned surgery would not mean they were refusing anyone surgery.
In a statement they said that the proposal would "encourage a change in unhealthy behaviours and require smokers and obese patients to take part in lifestyle courses ahead of any planned surgery will be discussed next week."
They said they hope it would help to encourage a lifestyle change by "providing information on the risks of smoking and obesity."
They say they hope next week's discussion will continue engagement with the public, staff and stakeholders on action to support health improvement.
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