A 48-year-old man from Hertfordshire claims he has been refused vital weight-loss surgery by the NHS because he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
A Lifelong Struggle with Weight
Keren Slater, from Bishop's Stortford, says he has battled his weight for his entire life, trying multiple diets without success. He was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 38 and believes the condition is a key factor in his struggles, as he often turns to food when bored or stressed.
His weight journey has been long and difficult. At 27, he weighed 21 stone and underwent gastric band surgery in 2006. This was initially successful, helping him get down to 16 stone. However, after just six months, the band stopped working. It later caused a severe infection, turned septic, and led to fluid on his lungs, forcing its removal in June 2024.
The Promise and Refusal of a Gastric Bypass
Following the removal of the problematic gastric band, Keren claims doctors at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust indicated they would perform a gastric bypass to help him continue his weight loss. Tests were conducted in January 2025 to assess his suitability, and Keren was led to believe the surgery would proceed.
The situation changed dramatically in June 2025. During an appointment, a health practitioner conducted an ADHD questionnaire. Keren alleges that based on this assessment, a recommendation was made not to proceed with the surgery. By August, he was formally told the operation was cancelled due to concerns about his ADHD.
His mother, Anne Ashley-Jones, 76, from Harlow, Essex, expressed her frustration, stating that the family believed the bypass was the best solution for her son.
Left in Limbo with Nowhere to Turn
A letter from the Trust to Keren stated there were "significant allied health professional concerns regarding the engagement with dietary changes, his ADHD, as well as high expectations of surgery". It concluded that the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits and recommended his discharge back to his GP.
Keren, who now weighs 23 stone and 2oz and suffers from sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and constant fatigue, says he feels "discriminated against" and "left in limbo". He hoped to be transferred to Luton hospital, but instead was discharged entirely.
Exploring private surgery is not a viable option, as it would cost around £15,000, a sum neither he nor his mother can afford. He also does not qualify for weight-loss medication like Mounjaro through the NHS, meeting only three of the five required criteria.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Homerton Healthcare Trust said they could not comment on individual cases but apologised to any patient who felt care standards were not met. They emphasised that all bariatric surgery patients undergo physical and psychological assessments to ensure the treatment is appropriate.
