Sunday - April 29, 2007

Socialized Medicine Update

The only problem with socialized medicine or “universal health care” as the Hildabeast and her evil Liberal minions call it, is that it leads to things like this. The NHS (National Health Service) in Britain is under such a strain trying to meet the health care needs of everyone that people with bad habits are being denied care ... bad habits such as eating too much or smoking, that is.

There is only one outcome for a system like this when they start turning people away simply because they do not meet government mandated criteria such as body mass or healthy lungs - people are going to start dieing. Admittedly, the lardasses and nicotine addicts will be the first ones to go so the “good people” who eat right and don’t smoke will be ok, right?

But then what? Will people who drink more than a pint of beer a day be denied health care next? What about kids who refuse to eat their broccoli and carrots? Will they be denied visits to the eye doctor? You probably think I’m being silly or exaggerating. Do you want to bet your life on it?

‘Too Fat’ Patients Denied NHS Operations
_{(SKY NEWS-UK) - 06:51, Sunday April 29, 2007}

Nine primary care trusts have a specific policy to refuse joint replacements to obese patients. And four will not consider orthopaedic surgery if patients smoke. In all, six million patients live in areas affected by so-called lifestyle rationing. Jean Ryan has been told she cannot have her hip replaced until she loses weight.

But she says that is impossible because the pain means she can barely move, let alone exercise. Despite living on a pension she has taken out an £8000 loan to pay for surgery abroad.

She said: “I don’t think it is fair. If I lived in Bournemouth there would be no bar on being overweight. I can’t see any other way round the problem. I can’t see them helping. So you have to help yourself. Either that or you end up in a wheelchair.”

The Sky News survey shows that in the absence of national rules, local PCTs are making up their own. North Staffordshire has the toughest restrictions. To qualify for any routine elective operation, patients must have a body mass index below 30. They must also have given up smoking for at least three months.

Andrew Haldenby from pressure group Doctors for Reform said there should be national rules for the National Health Service. He said: “ These decisions should be taken in Parliament. These are exceptionally serious thorny questions. They get to the heart of what the NHS is.”

According to Suffolk PCT obese patients are at higher risk of blood loss and infections after operations. The PCT is also £31million in debt and Public Health Director Dr Peter Bradley said money must be used wisely. “We have limited resources and we have to make sure we are using them to best effect. It’s sensible to use that money where we know the treatment is going to work.”

The Department of Health insisted that treatment is delivered according to patients’ clinical need, not their lifestyle choice. And decisions are taken by doctors, not managers or politicians.

- More ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 04/29/2007 at 02:20 AM   
Filed Under: • Medical •  
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