Tories: 'NHS Should Not Treat Those With Unhealthy Lifestyle

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D. Spencer Hines

Tories: 'NHS Should Not Treat Those With Unhealthy Lifestyle

Legg inn av D. Spencer Hines » 05 sep 2007 02:13:32

Tories want a Stricter Nanny for Brits.

Deeeeelightful!

Black The Red, grossly overweight, and Pogue Reboul, a heavy smoker and
drinker would no doubt be heavily penalized.

But will the Tories ever be elected to implement said plan -- or persuade
Labour to do it?

DSH

Lux et Veritas et Libertas
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'NHS should not treat those with unhealthy lifestyles' say Tories

04.09.07

The Evening Standard

David Cameron is considering NHS Health Miles Cards to reward clean living

Failing to follow a healthy lifestyle could lead to free NHS treatment being
denied under the Tory plans.

Patients would be handed "NHS Health Miles Cards" allowing them to earn
reward points for losing weight, giving up smoking, receiving immunisations
or attending regular health screenings.

Like a supermarket loyalty card, the points could be redeemed as discounts
on gym membership and fresh fruit and vegetables, or even give priority for
other public services - such as jumping the queue for council housing.

But heavy smokers, the obese and binge drinkers who were a drain on the NHS
could be denied some routine treatments such as hip replacements until they
cleaned up their act.

Those who abused the system - by calling an ambulance when a trip to the GP
would be sufficient, or telephoning out of hours with needless queries -
could also be penalised.

The report calls for a greater emphasis on the "citizen's responsibility" to
be healthy and says no one should expect taxpayers to fund their unhealthy
lifestyles.

Yet while the Health Miles Card would award points for giving up smoking and
losing weight, it could penalise those who are already fit and well because
they would receive no benefits under the scheme.

Also, the NHS already demands that obese patients lose weight before
receiving hip replacements.

And any moves to impose compulsory cards on patients would provoke a
backlash from civil liberties groups.

The Dorrell report also calls for a consultation on raising the smoking age
to 18 and for shops to be stripped of their licences if they sell tobacco
and alcohol to minors.

It proposes a fully-trained nurse to be made available to every school to
offer advice on sexual health - but Tory officials stressed they would not
be offering children contraceptives.

Ministers should divert more attention and funding to public health
epidemics which are costing the NHS billions a year, the report says.

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