Obese patients denied knee and hip replacements to slash NHS costs

Financial pressures are driving the decision by the NHS to ration joint replacement surgery for obese patients - (Getty)

Obese patients are being denied life-changing hip and knee replacements and left in pain in a bid to slash spiralling NHS costs, The Independent can reveal.

One-third of NHS areas in England and multiple health boards in Wales are blocking patient access based on their body mass index (BMI).