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British Smokers Being Denied Treatment by State-Run Healthcare Service
Breitbart London ^ | 8/11/2014 | David Atherton

Posted on 08/11/2014 3:20:34 AM PDT by markomalley

Scotland's second largest health board, NHS Lothian, will not be giving further treatment to smokers for non-urgent cases, with referrals from GPs being refused.

Dr. Zahid Raza said: "In Edinburgh, we will not see patients at the clinic that are still smoking. Evidence shows that they would not do well with the treatment." He also went onto say: "We try to avoid intervention and, in around 80 percent of cases, a smoker’s condition will improve just simply by stopping smoking and smoking other lifestyle changes."

Dr Jean Turner of the Scotland Patients Association said that she was "extremely disappointed", adding: "I'm really quite shocked. You should not refuse to see anybody and certainly not penalise patients who are smoking.

"It is very God like and highly unfair to refuse to see anybody referred…Doctors are there to see if they can help and relieve symptoms."

NHS Lothian is by no means unique. NHS Hertfordshire back in January 2012 also withdrew treatment to smokers and, as an ominous sign of the slippery slope, those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30 - i.e. the obese - are refused services too.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: aidspride; aidsrights; deathpanels; discriminatoin; doublestandard; healthcare; healthcarerationing; hivaids; homofascism; hypocrites; legalproduct; nannystate; rationing; socializedmedicine; thereisnoenglandnow
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To: from occupied ga

I take it you don’t believe in public schooling?

Do you believe in anything public? Roads, national forests, hydroelectric dams, sidewalks, airports, anything?

If so, what makes roads different from public schools?

Ed


81 posted on 08/11/2014 1:54:47 PM PDT by Sir_Ed
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To: Pox; from occupied ga

Eating unhealthy foods (as determined by yourself (you being the government at this point)) is voluntary. Under your system, those who eat unhealthy foods are now to be refused health care. Check.


Don’t worry, once the State has complete control they’ll make sure you stay healthy! -
*************************************

The telescreen was giving forth an ear-splitting whistle which continued on the same note for thirty seconds. It was nought seven fifteen, getting-up time for office workers. Winston wrenched his body out of bed—naked, for a member of the Outer Party received only 3,000 clothing coupons annually, and a suit of pyjamas was 600—and seized a dingy singlet and a pair of shorts that were lying across a chair.

The Physical Jerks would begin in three minutes. The next moment he was doubled up by a violent coughing fit which nearly always attacked him soon after waking up. It emptied his lungs so completely that he could only begin breathing again by lying on his back and taking a series of deep gasps. His veins had swelled with the effort of the cough, and the varicose ulcer had started itching.

‘Thirty to forty group!’ yapped a piercing female voice. ‘Thirty to forty group! Take your places, please. Thirties to forties!’

Winston sprang to attention in front of the telescreen, upon which the image of a youngish woman, scrawny but muscular, dressed in tunic and gym-shoes, had already appeared.

‘Arms bending and stretching!’ she rapped out. ‘Take your time by me. ONE, two, three, four! ONE, two, three, four! Come on, comrades, put a bit of life into it! ONE, two, three four! ONE two, three, four!...’

‘Smith!’ screamed the shrewish voice from the telescreen. ‘6079 Smith W.!

Yes, YOU! Bend lower, please! You can do better than that. You’re not trying. Lower, please! THAT’S better, comrade. Now stand at ease, the whole squad, and watch me.’

A sudden hot sweat had broken out all over Winston’s body. His face remained completely inscrutable. Never show dismay! Never show resentment! A single flicker of the eyes could give you away. He stood watching while the instructress raised her arms above her head and—one could not say gracefully, but with remarkable neatness and efficiency—bent over and tucked the first joint of her fingers under her toes.

‘THERE, comrades! THAT’S how I want to see you doing it. Watch me again. I’m thirty-nine and I’ve had four children. Now look.’ She bent over again. ‘You see MY knees aren’t bent. You can all do it if you want to,’ she added as she straightened herself up. ‘Anyone under forty-five is perfectly capable of touching his toes. We don’t all have the privilege of fighting in the front line, but at least we can all keep fit. Remember our boys on the Malabar front! And the sailors in the Floating Fortresses! Just think what THEY have to put up with. Now try again. That’s better, comrade, that’s MUCH better,’ she added encouragingly as Winston, with a violent lunge, succeeded in touching his toes with knees unbent, for the first
time in several years.


82 posted on 08/11/2014 2:24:52 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (Why do you need a fire extinguisher when you can call the fire department?)
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To: markomalley; from occupied ga
A couple of observations about this.

Firstly, private treatments outside the NHS are and always have been available to those able and willing to pay for them. (I mention this because I've notice that commentators outside the UK aren't always aware of this.)

Secondly, having read more detail elsewhere than the posted article about these 'smokers refused' policies, it's clear that they are not a blanket ban on any treatment for somebody who's still smoking. They are only ruling out procedures which are known to be ineffective when applied to a smoker. So it could be argued that this is a medical decision, not a political decision, no different from any other where a particular procedure is known to be medically contra-indicated, given the state of health of the particular patient. (The obvious objection to this is that it would be hard to maintain the distinction between a purely medical and a political exclusion, slippery slope arguments etc)

83 posted on 08/12/2014 2:45:49 AM PDT by Winniesboy
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To: Tax-chick

I feel the same way. Especially being stuck with full gov’t control of my own health care.

How can my doctor give me the best health care if he can only run bone density test every 2 yrs, and not before age 60? By then it is to late.

Nor do I like being told where I can get my meds from. Especially when the company is known for Fraud and over riding DAW scripts with generics I am allergic to. I only take 1 name brand script, Synthroid. the Generic does not have enough of the hormone, and the fillers cause allergic reactions. Lack of Thyroid hormone causes bone density issues. Same goes for to much of the hormone. It’s a fine balancing act that takes a ENDOCRINOLOGIST, a good one to keep on top of. I use Internist for years and was under treated as they don’t have the knowledge to treat an Endocrine issue.


84 posted on 08/12/2014 6:03:35 AM PDT by GailA (IF you fail to keep your promises to the Military, you won't keep them to Citizens!)
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To: Sicvee

Hearing aid cost is based on model you choose, and so is the cost of the batteries. Then you have the upkeep does Costco do that?

Is that per pair or 1 ear? We don’t belong to Costco, or Sam’s. No need for 2 old people to use them especially since we’d have to drive close to 2 hrs round trip to one. We live in the boonies.


85 posted on 08/12/2014 6:10:57 AM PDT by GailA (IF you fail to keep your promises to the Military, you won't keep them to Citizens!)
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To: GailA

I’ve known others who had problems with generic drugs.

Some medical issues are very complex and don’t lend themselves to solutions a computer or a practical nurse could handle.


86 posted on 08/12/2014 7:47:42 AM PDT by Tax-chick (No power in the 'verse can stop me.)
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To: MrB
STDs, especially HIV, will always be given special treatment.

The AIDS Pride agenda is already under way. Planned Parenthood has even partnered with them (IPPF) to push for the elimination of laws that prosecute those with AIDS who keep such information from their sex partners.

More homofascism.

87 posted on 08/12/2014 8:30:51 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (CNN suppressed news to maintain their Baghdad bureau under Saddam; they just did the same for Hamas.)
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To: Tax-chick

Since I live in a level 8 pain 24/7/365, due to spine degeneration, I took 10 MG Lore Tabs a pink pill, before bed so I could at least sleep a few hours. The generic was ok.

But when they dropped the Tylenol content, Lore Tabs became NORCO. And went to a yellow dye, first pill and I had a massive Vertigo attack in 10 mins lying in bed thankfully, and ended up staggering to the bath room for my anti-nausea med it took 2 tabs of it to get the nausea under control, lost a night’s sleep, and triggered a Meniere’s attack for 3 days following it, which meant ear pain, high pitched ear ringing, and living on Anti-vert, the nausea pills, and a extra Valium. NO DRIVING. All that med makes you to doped up to drive. Had to live on chicken noodle soup as I stayed sick to my stomach despite the med for it.

The Little Clinic at Kroger’s is good for invected bug bites and a round of predisone, but that is about all it is good for. I won’t even use a Minor Med, 1 bad experience there and I don’t trust them. ER it is, and is usually necessary. But hospitals have gone almost total generic meds. Along with MOOCH’s food plan for the kids. CRAP food is what I call it. Not fit to eat.

Politicians need to keep their hands out of medical practice, they are NOT qualified to handle.


88 posted on 08/12/2014 10:26:13 AM PDT by GailA (IF you fail to keep your promises to the Military, you won't keep them to Citizens!)
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To: GailA

$2500 is for 2 hearing aids. Maintenance is not usually needed but Costco does it. Costco membership is $55 or so and you get a cash rewards American express card. I agree that buying stuff at Costco does not make sense for retired couples like me and my wife, but the hearing aids are worth the membership price. We get gasoline there also, usually cheaper than anywhere else. We have Costco’s within 20 miles.


89 posted on 08/12/2014 6:11:58 PM PDT by Sicvee (Sicvee)
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To: Sicvee

For us it’s nearly a 2 hr round trip. We live in the boonies.

We use Discover on everything.

The style I’ll need cost a lot more that $2500 per Costco prices I looked at them. We get gas at Kroger’s using gas points. I buy a lot of gift cards because we have 6 grands and 5 gg grands for BD and Christmas. If we travel or eat out. Right now they are 4 times the point value. We usually have at least a $1 of a gal for a tank. Hubby fills my car from a 5 gal can, then fills both his car and the can. We usually save about $24 that way.


90 posted on 08/13/2014 3:56:22 AM PDT by GailA (IF you fail to keep your promises to the Military, you won't keep them to Citizens!)
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To: Pox
My point is, if you accept the premise that smokers be denied health care, you must accept the premise that I put forth concerning Alcohol and “unhealthy” foods and also denying them health care.

Nope not true. The system is arbitrary. In a logical world your premise would be true, in reality restrictions are arbitrary and based on political popularity, not logic. Smokers aren't popular and in a minority having been demonized for decades. Overweight OTO is common, so unlikely to be penalized unless extremely severe

91 posted on 08/13/2014 5:10:42 AM PDT by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: from occupied ga
What is not true today will become the truth sooner or later, and the truth is, overweight people will eventually be denied health care.

The government will make the decision and that is that. Anyone who says that it will never happen is delusional.

In fact, it WILL come to a point where it will be dictated what we are allowed to eat because, after all, what we eat affects our health care and government now has a vested interest in micromanaging our lives from here on out.

The only question is, how far will we let them go before all out warfare against the government will begin, if we have the fortitude to stand up for our freedoms.

The sad part is, too many parasites in this country are more than happy to live as a slave to the government as long as they get their handouts and enough leeway to do their “thing”.

92 posted on 08/13/2014 10:16:33 AM PDT by Pox (Good Night. I expect more respect tomorrow.)
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