Recognise lipoedema as a serious disease and act across NHS and education

Rejected 12 signatures

What the petition asks

Recognise lipoedema as a distinct chronic disease. Train all NHS staff to diagnose and treat it. Include it in school health education. Update national policy so it's no longer mislabelled or ignored, and ensure healthcare providers understand the pain and appropriate terminology and the impact.

Lipoedema affects 1 in 10 women that’s over 3.9 million in the UK and it can also impact men and non-binary people. It causes pain, swelling, immobility and emotional harm, yet it’s barely mentioned in NICE guidance, has no care pathway, is often misdiagnosed as obesity, and isn’t consistently recorded. Other countries recognise and fund care. UK patients self-diagnose via Instagram and often pay thousands abroad. We need recognition, early diagnosis, NHS support and to stop being left behind.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

We can only accept petitions about things the Government or Parliament are directly responsible for.

Decisions about chronic disease classification and healthcare training are a matter for the medical colleges, not the UK Government or Parliament.

You could start a petition which asks for funding for Lipedema treatment on the NHS.

Timeline

22 Jul 2025	Petition opened for signatures
14 Aug 2025	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 12

Status Rejected

Rejected 14 Aug 2025

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