NHS May Not Treat Smokers, Drinkers Or Obese (UK)

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12-9-2005 | Celia Hall

[FormerACLUmember]

[saganite]

Only healthy people need apply. All you sick sots bugger off!

[whispering out loud]

makes since, If you intend to continue the actions that got you into this mess in the first place, then why fix the problem that will probably self inflicted again.

[BenLurkin]

'We are taking treatment away from you for the common good.'

[Ditter]

Some Canadian friends of ours said the Canadian health system was great........... as long as you didn't get sick and need a doctor. I guess the UK is the same.

[FormerACLUmember]

'We are taking treatment away from you for the common good.'

Just what I want to hear from my doctor when I am sick.

[Ramius]

At some level, ~all~ health problems probably have a lifestyle component. Maybe not all, but lots.

I wonder if they considered AIDS to be in the same category.

[Fedupwithit]

That's fine...I won't use the health care system....

but IN RETURN, I am going to deduct from my taxes the portion that would have been used for me.

Someone try that, and see how well it flies...

[Michael.SF.]

Well, just Damn!

Think I will go have a JW, rocks, while I still can:

[JAWs]

So much for the promise of universal health care.

[snowsislander]

NHS may not treat smokers, drinkers or obese

If the NHS is not going to treat smokers or drinkers, then I wonder if there will be any great number of Brits that they would be willing to treat. :-)

[Gorzaloon]

People who are grossly overweight, who smoke heavily or drink excessively could be denied surgery or drugs following a decision by a Government agency yesterday.

...Which proves once again, that after taking their guns away, and even their toy BB guns, you can do ANYTHING you want to the People. You can tease them like a cat teases a mouse, with the same ending!

You can pull their little tails off and nibble on their tiny feet, and there is NOTHING they can do about it.

Ohh, the sick, sadistic FUN micro-endowed little wanking bureaucrats can have, after being beaten up and "Well-reared" years ago in the Public Schools! Who is laughing NOW???

I had better stop, as it is beginning to sound like our HMO administrators, who can only DREAM of graduating to such a sadistic paradise someday, after the Glorious Socialist Revolution.

[hadrian]

This may be the "George Best Effect" (UK equivalent of the "David Crosby syndrome") - star soccer player gets liver transplant, continued to drink himself to his recent death.

But he had a great quote: "I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."

[Joe Miner]

The Brits were raising hell a year or so ago; lecturing us about providing adequate health care to the detainees in gitmo. Smoking, drinking, and eating are worse than being a terrorist, I guess.

[SouthernFreebird]

I wonder if they considered AIDS to be in the same category.

Bwahahahahaha....your kidding right.

Those with AIDS born from the MUST NOT BE NAMED homosexual lifestyle being held accountable for their infection. Ain't happening

[ridesthemiles]

This might not pass a court challenge.
It is changing the rules way into the game.
Young persons being told this today would be a target for the future, but when you are already there, seems like you are just a great big target for those who want to run your life.

[Gorzaloon]

I wonder if they considered AIDS to be in the same category.

GASP! Such heresy! :-)

"Hi! I smoke and I'm sick."

"Die, Commoner."

Hi! I like to eat a lot, and I'm sick".

"Die, Commoner."

"Hi! I like to stop at the Pub quite a bit, and I am sick'"

"Die, Commoner."

"Hi! I like to do dirty things with boy's bums, and shoot up with recycled needles and I don't feel too good."

"My Kind of Commoner! Would you like to go on Holiday with me?"

[Bernard Marx]

I wonder if they considered AIDS to be in the same category.

Aids and all other STDs. Maybe they'll refuse to do abortions too because impregnation is a lifestyle choice. And I'm sure all those denied treatment will receive a full refund of lifetime taxes paid for NHS - not!

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Or, as one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada said: "access to a waiting list is not access to health care" (the system does do a good job of providing access to waiting lists).

So long as national health systems are going to deny people access on the basis of unhealthy lifestyle choices -- a few more classes of offenders should be added:

* men who have sex with men (about 45 times more likely to contract AIDS);
* anyone who uses any intoxicating drug (not just alcohol);
* people who play extreme sports;
* people who work at stressful jobs;
* people who are stressed because they don't work;
* anyone who climbs up, or walks under ladders;
* anyone living in high crime areas;
* anyone with anorexia or bulimia;
* anyone driving a car smaller than a full-size SUV;
* anyone who shovels their own walkway after a snow storm;
* anyone who gets old (it's well known that the elderly use far more than their share of health care services).

Perhaps I missed some categories -- but, these should help to reduce waiting lists.