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 member****p 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 re****t 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 re****t 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 ***ual 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 re****t says.
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