Category
Threshold Criteria
Male circumcision is an operation to remove the foreskin (the skin covering the top of the penis). It is mostly done in babies and young children but can be done at any age. It is an effective procedure and confers benefit for a range of medical indications. Sometimes it is requested on cultural, social and religious reasons and is a common practice in the Jewish and Islamic faiths, and is also practiced by many African communities as a tribal or ethnic tradition.
This policy refers only to male circumcision for medical reasons. Non-medical circumcisions do not confer any health gain but do carry health risk.
Note: Female circumcision has no medical benefits and is illegal under the Female Genital Mutilation Act (2003).
Eligibility
| LLR ICB will fund Circumcision for the following medical circumstances: – Penile cancer – Pathological phimosis – a condition where the foreskin gets trapped under the tip of the penis – 3 documented episodes of balanoposthitis (inflammation of the head of the penis). This can lead to Phimosis, a condition where the foreskin is too tight to be pulled back over the head of the penis (glans). Both can be indications for circumcision. – Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans, otherwise known as male genital or penile lichen sclerosus. . Relative indications for circumcision or other foreskin surgery include the following: . Prevention of urinary tract infection in patients with an abnormal urinary tract- . Recurrent paraphimosis, defined as EITHER repeated episodes managed in primary care OR a single episode requiring an emergency attendance in secondary car . Trauma (e.g. zipper injury) . Tight foreskin causing pain on arousal/ interfering with sexual function . Congenital abnormalities |
Guidance
| ARP 23 Review Date: 2026 |
English 
Polish 
Romanian 
Arabic 
Gujarati 
Panjabi 
Urdu 