Statement Concerning the Suspension of Funding for Functional Nasal Surgery

10 October 2025 (Last updated: 10 Oct 2025 16:55)

We are deeply concerned by the recent decision made by South-East England ICBs to suspend funding for septoplasty, turbinate surgery, and functional septorhinoplasty. We firmly believe that this decision will have a significantly detrimental impact on patients in numerous ways, including:

1. Harming Patients: This policy threatens the well-being of individuals, in particular people who suffer from asthma or sleep disorders, who rely on these procedures for improved health and quality of life.
2. Increasing ENT Waiting Times: The suspension of funding will inevitably lead to longer waiting lists, exacerbating the distress and discomfort of those in need of timely treatment.
3. Contradicting Evidence-Based Medicine: This decision stands in stark contrast to established medical research and practices, undermining the principles of effective healthcare delivery.

In light of these serious concerns, we have formally reached out to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, alongside co-signatories British Rhinological Society (BRS), Association of Otolaryngologists in Training (AOT), British Society for Facial Plastic Surgery, and the patient charities SmellTaste and Sinus UK. Together, we have asked for immediate intervention from the Department of Health to reverse this policy for the sake of patients' health and well-being, and we have offered to work with decision makers to develop more effective solutions to the challenges they face while continuing to provide the best possible service to patients.

We encourage all those affected by this decision to raise their voices by contacting their local MP or Integrated Care Board. Your voice matters—together, we can make a difference.