Living can be fatal
I watched a programme last night on television.
It was about the N.H.S. in the U.K.
They have come up with a rather neat way of saving money.
They will only operate on you if they approve of your lifestyle.
The programme gave quite a few examples.
There was the woman who had an arthritic hip joint which had totally collapsed. As a result of this, she couldn’t walk. As a result of her immobility, she put on a few pounds. So they wouldn’t operate on her as she was ‘obese’ [she weighed a little more than me]. They told her to lose a few pounds by exercising! She had to go abroad in the end.
There was another man who needed an operation on his leg. They wouldn’t operate on him because he smoked. His smoking had nothing to do with his operation. They just didn’t like the fact that he smoked.
There was another case of a man who needed a triple bypass. He also smoked so they refused. You might say that there was cause here, but the surgeon made it quite plain that he would do the operation, no problem, if the man went private. That man died shortly after.
So why do they operate on footballers and rugby players? Surely these people are going to go out and injure themselves again? They have unhealthy lifestyles. Why do they fix skiers’ broken legs?
This could be extended indefinitely.
They will probably in the future refuse to operate on people with driving licences. They’re only going to go out and have another smash. Or people who drink? Or children? Or people who will insist on going outdoors? Or anyone who has any DIY equipment in their houses?
How about people who eat? They are surely going to rush out after an operation and become obese?
This could really catch on.
Mary Harney – take note.
It’s PCness, Grandad.
Some people are ‘in’ and some people are ‘out’.
Go into casualty on a Saturday night and it will be full of people smashed out of their skull, the same people appear again and again – why do they treat them?
But who draws the PCness line? At present it encircles smokers and people who are overweight. What is to stop them expanding that circle to include others, as I suggested?
I hope all the left wing neo-communists in this country read this post. That is all we need…another gub’mint run bureaucracy!
Sieg Heil die groÃe Regierung!
I’ll send a copy to Dubya
Grandad,
You are safe – you are Irish and you have a beard, that puts you safely inside the PC favourites camp. If they didn’t treat you, you could allege discrimination.
If they didn’t treat me, I’d beat the cr*p out of them. Then I’d sue them.
My sentiments entirely, Grandad. Where does this ludicrous policy end? What about nurses who’ve done their backs in lifting patients? Can’t do anything for them, obviously, they shouldn’t have picked such a high-risk occupation.
Heh, Don’t kid yourself Grandad, this does happen here, I had a doctor refuse to prescribe medication for a chest infection a few years ago, because I’m overweight and I smoke.
Strange how he changed his tune when I told him he wasn’t getting paid after calling me a fat smoker. 😀
I get his point the chest infection was prolly not helped by my smoking but FFS Heroin Junkies and alcoholics can get FREE help with there addiction, can a smoker or an obese person get the same help?
It’s a great message to be sending out, “Shoot up and drink yerself into liver disease and we’ll help ye out but if ye think we’re gonna use any of the vat payments for all those cigerettes or food to help ye, you can F*** right off”
So the answer is: tuck your PC under your arm next time you see the Dr!!!!
Nick – Nurses and doctors obviously will have to be excluded from treatment. They are surrounded by bad health.
George – Isn’t it strange how waving a few Euro under their noses makes you suddenly into a svelte non-smoker?!!
Grannymar – Baseball bat. Much more reliable.
I have private health cover and so much insurance I could convalesce in the Marriott! (and I pay more – a lot more – because I smoke!)
But seriously, ClareBear was severely asthmatic as a child and often admitted through casualty. Unintentionally, I never told them that we had private cover on the first visit . . .but I mentioned it on the second . . .she received the same care, went into the same 8 bed ward both times. First time . . free . . .second time $2,000! No room service in sight . . .If you’re public here and want ‘elective surgery’ (which I might add includes, arthritic conditions, hernias, varicose veins and other non emergency procedures) there’s a waiting list as long as your arm . . .money talks – stuff the hypocratic oath!
I agree – that programme was outrageous.
Almost as outrageous as the HSE’s latest ‘freeze’ on staff recruitment.
And if you live in Tullamore, the HSE will tell you “The hospital has already seen TOO MANY patients this year so – TOUGH LUCK and GOODBYE!”.
Another cost-saving tactic is to keep the waiting lists really long in the hope that you’ll die before you get to see the doctor.
So much for PCness!
sounds like Canada…… Big Brother health comes to a town near you……
In this country, there are basically two options: You take out private health insurance or you make sure you stay healthy.
And that is exactly the way our [obese] Minister for Health wants it.
[I wonder would they operate on her because of her weight??]