Wednesday, October 18, 2017

NHS provokes fury with indefinite surgery ban for smokers and obese


From the Telegraph UK:
The NHS will ban patients from surgery indefinitely unless they lose weight or quit smoking, under controversial plans drawn up in Hertfordshire. 
The restrictions - thought to be the most extreme yet to be introduced by health services - immediately came under attack from the Royal College of Surgeons. 
Its vice president called for an “urgent rethink” of policies which he said were “discriminatory” and went against the fundamental principles of the NHS. 
In recent years, a number of areas have introduced delays for such patients - with some told operations will be put back for months, during which time they are expected to try to lose weight or stop smoking. 
But the new rules, drawn up by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in Hertfordshire, say that obese patients “will not get non-urgent surgery until they reduce their weight” at all, unless the circumstances are exceptional. 
The criteria also mean smokers will only be referred for operations if they have stopped smoking for at least eight weeks, with such patients breathalysed before referral. 
East and North Hertfordshire CCG and Herts Valleys said the plans aimed to encourage people “to take more responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, wherever possible, freeing up limited NHS resources for priority treatment”. 
Both are in financial difficulty, and between them seeking to save £68m during this financial year.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS:

Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray Reach "Tentative" Deal to Start Subsidizing Obamacare Insurance Companies with Taxpayer Money Again; Trump Signals He May Support It

2 comments:

Karen Carroll said...

I worked for a physician as a temporary transcriptionist. And typed a letter to a patient that stated that the physician will no longer accept them in their practice. Because the patient will not follow a healthy diet and quit smoking. Then the patient expects the physician to 'fix' their neglected health.
The physician DOES have the right to terminate a patient from their practice if they do not follow recommendations. Such as keeping a healthy weight, not smoking, etc. Keeping their diet within guidelines for diabetes. As on physician told me years ago: If you think that smoking costs the health care industry, wait until you see the costs of obesity.

Pastorius said...

There's a big difference between a physician turning down a patient vs. the Government turning down a patient.

In one case, the patient can go find a physician who will help them

In the other, the patient has no choice left.

You do understand that, don't you?