Obesity is a growing problem for fire crews

Firefighters are being called out more than once a week to help lift obese patients in Greater Manchester at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds.

There have been at least 1,784 call-outs across England in the past five years — including 70 in Greater Manchester — putting increased strain on the emergency service, the Tories said.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Shadow Health Minister Mike Penning showed Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s 70 call-outs cost £160,230.

Mr Penning said the incidents showed how the NHS was struggling to cope with the obesity epidemic.

“As a former firefighter, I am concerned at these figures,” he said. “They show the severe strain that the growing obesity epidemic is putting our emergency services under. Labour’s complacent attitude to tackling obesity has meant that years have been wasted in our bid to deal with this growing problem.

“We urgently need action now, but unfortunately this Government’s record has been one of obesity targets missed and scrapped, budgets for information campaigns being raided, and dithering over food labelling.

“It is about time that the Labour Government woke up and started to take obesity seriously.”

Across England, 37 fire services reported a total of 1,784 call-outs since 2004, almost one a day, of which three-quarters were to help the NHS move patients, costing more than £4 million in total.

Cases included patients stuck in baths, cars, a stair lift and on a commode, with several call-outs to help lift obese dead people. The heaviest casualty weighed 42 stones.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: “We regard the obesity epidemic as one of the most serious challenges we face. The NHS spends £4.2bn on obesity and related diseases every year. What people need is good and timely help.”