Another Radical Suggestion.

jambutty · 29-01-2007, 15:20

Not by me but by someone else.

It was reported on the wireless this morning that there are moves afoot to charge patients for treatment that is not considered as curing an illness or the injury/illness is self inflicted.

Some examples put forward were varicose veins, believe it or not hip replacements, tonsillitis, alcohol abuse and the ant-smoking brigade have popped up with smoking related problems. Let me just make one point – when science can unequivocally state that a persons’ lung cancer has been caused solely by smoking or passive smoking then the anti-smoking bigots will have a case. Science cannot do that because there are many other factors involved not least of which is general atmospheric pollution from a variety of sources and the genetic factor. Some people are genetically predisposed to developing cancer if they come into regular contact with pollutants and some are not.

If this suggestion does come to fruition, not only will the treating doctor have to decide what treatment to implement s/he will also have to try and determine if the patient has caused the illness/injury and then the ability to pay for the treatment.

Someone please convince me that the powers that be are not trying to privatise the NHS by the back door.

WillowTheWhisp · 29-01-2007, 22:40

This hip replacement one interested me because there was mention of not doing them for overweight people. Now I have a friend who has recently had a hip replacement (in fact two). Before the ops she was a lot overweight and because of her hip problems she could barely walk with two crutches let alone excersize. Since her op and ability to become more active the extra weight has dropped off. Now would she be refused the op under new guidelines? Would she be classed as having a self inflicted problem?

lindsay ormerod · 29-01-2007, 23:22

I had the varicose veins in my left leg taken out in 1999 ; they were causing me no end of pain,at the time I was somewhat lighter than I am now and the specialist put them down to "being on my feet "....difficult to retail in any other position really! Bl**dy painful after the op and wouldn't have it done again though they have now come back.Can't see how they wouldn't really,the blood has to go somewhere and surely taking veins out just increases the pressure on other veins???

WillowTheWhisp · 29-01-2007, 23:27

So I wonder if they plan to discriminate against people who stand up ? Then next thing you know they'll be criticising people for sitting down

jambutty · 29-01-2007, 23:40

But they already do WillowTheWhisp. Get up - get more exercise is the constant bombardment. Don’t do this, don’t so that. Don’t eat this, don’t eat that. Eat more of this and eat more of that. It’s never ending.

It’s only a matter of time before we each get issued with one highly nutritious biscuit per day that will sustain a person, like in the film Soylent Green, and real food will be non existent except for those in charge and those with position and power.

I’m going to have a mug of Ovaltine (I promise not to sing the Ovaltiney’s song. We are the Ovaltiney little girls and boys, tra la la, la, la, la. I lied) with SUGAR, a two fingers KitKat, a Blue Riband and an individual apple pie and Frrrruuurrrr to anyone who objects.

shillelagh · 30-01-2007, 00:58

So were does this leave me? I have epilepsy and have fits fairly frequently. When i have a fit i do injure myself - case in point ended up in blackburn casualty in November because i'd hurt my shoulder. The injury was caused by me falling onto something dont know what because i was on my own and unconcious at the time. Does this mean i'd have to pay for treatment or would it be 'covered' because of the epilepsy?

WillowTheWhisp · 30-01-2007, 08:38

They can't class epilepsy as self inflicted can they? My Mum used to have black outs and fall and hurt herself even at home.

Sometimes though it's hard to define which is cause and which is effect with some people. Does inactivity cause illness or did that illness cause the inactivity which in turn creates more problems?

There are people who do all the 'wrong things' yet live to a ripe old age - other who do their best to stay healthy and suddenly drop down dead.

jambutty · 30-01-2007, 09:39

There is no need to panic just yet, as this is only a suggestion by some buffoon.

But then maybe you do because at one time it was only a suggestion to extend drinking hours. It was also only a suggestion to attack smokers.

This is just another link to the road of private health care for the masses.

It could easily become the case that as the jolly green giants whisk you into hospital the first question to be asked isn’t going to about your medical condition but your financial situation and the treatment you get would depend on your answer.

Ianto.W. · 31-01-2007, 14:56

Quote:

jambutty, lung cancer has been caused solely by smoking or passive smoking then the anti-smoking bigots will have a case.

You are quite correct there are numerous types of cancers, the lung cancer I recently had removed along with part of my lung was thought to have been caused by a 'floating' cancer cell, that had escaped when they removed my colon and the cancer it contained, just bad luck on my part. There is no proof that any of these theories will work. I do not smoke normally, or blow it out of my backside.