:00:00. > :00:07.Tens of thousands more people could be allowed weight-loss surgery
:00:08. > :00:10.on the NHS. There are plans to allow many more
:00:11. > :00:12.obese people to have gastric bands fitted to tackle an epidemic
:00:13. > :00:24.of type 2 diabetes. Fantastic, it has brought me back to
:00:25. > :00:27.life, I have got myself a job, I am back working, I can do things which
:00:28. > :00:34.I could not do before. back working, I can do
:00:35. > :00:38.Each operation costs more than ?5,000, can the NHS of audit?
:00:39. > :00:41.Also tonight. Israeli airstrikes leave 100 dead
:00:42. > :00:44.in Gaza, but Israel says it won't cave in to international pressure to
:00:45. > :00:47.stop its offensive. A teenager admits killing teacher
:00:48. > :00:49.Ann McGuire in a classroom in Leeds. And, the ?75 million man.
:00:50. > :00:52.Luis Suarez puts the bite behind him and signs for Barcelona.
:00:53. > :00:57.The Government's flagship University Technical College is to close, due
:00:58. > :01:02.And, an NHS payout for the boy left almost blind for
:01:03. > :01:26.Good evening, and welcome to the BBC News At Six.
:01:27. > :01:29.Tens of thousands more people in England could be eligible
:01:30. > :01:33.for weight-loss surgery in a bid to tackle an epidemic
:01:34. > :01:37.of type 2 diabetes. The health watchdog says gastric
:01:38. > :01:40.bands or bypass procedures would help reduce complications linked
:01:41. > :01:42.to obesity. Each operation costs
:01:43. > :01:44.at least ?5,000. The proposals suggest doctors should
:01:45. > :01:47.consider surgery for diabetics with a so-called
:01:48. > :01:50.body-mass index of 30 or more. That is lower than
:01:51. > :01:54.the current advice. To give you an example, a man who is
:01:55. > :01:57.five foot nine and weighs 14 and a half stone would be sent
:01:58. > :01:59.for an assessment, as would a woman who is five foot three and weighs
:02:00. > :02:11.at least 12 stone four pounds. It is a new life for Mark, a
:02:12. > :02:17.healthier diet and no more medication. He has type two diabetes
:02:18. > :02:21.and was struggling until he had weight loss surgery on the NHS. A
:02:22. > :02:27.gastric bypass to shrink his stomach. The plan would enable more
:02:28. > :02:32.patients to follow his example. It has been hard, but fantastic, it has
:02:33. > :02:37.brought me back to life, I have got a job, I am back working, I can do
:02:38. > :02:43.things which I could not do before, I can walk, there is a lot of
:02:44. > :02:47.difference, I am a lot healthier. The proposal will potentially
:02:48. > :02:51.increase the workload of clinics like this at University College
:02:52. > :02:54.Hospital in London. There are special beds and chairs to make
:02:55. > :02:59.obese patients feel their needs are being met. There has been an
:03:00. > :03:04.increase in referrals here by GPs. For those who get as far as weight
:03:05. > :03:10.loss surgery, there was a total of 8000 operations in England in 2012,
:03:11. > :03:19.more than double since 2009. The operation costs ?5,000, with more
:03:20. > :03:24.for after-care and checkups. Between five and 20,000 more people could be
:03:25. > :03:28.eligible. Surgeons say money will be saved because diabetics would
:03:29. > :03:34.otherwise require expensive care. In the longer term, the health economic
:03:35. > :03:39.is beneficial. There is a cost saving, long-term. It is not too
:03:40. > :03:46.long term, evidence suggests three or four years. Does this provide a
:03:47. > :03:49.lasting solution to the obesity problem, seen as a major health
:03:50. > :03:54.challenge for society, increasing demand for treatment thing to the
:03:55. > :03:57.strain on NHS budgets? Many experts argue that prevention is the