UK: SMOKERS AND THE OBESE DENIED CARE BY NHS

UK GUARDIAN:

One in 10 NHS trusts restricts operations for obese people or smokers, according to a TV investigation.

Sixteen of the 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) in England have policies restricting non-emergency surgery such as hip replacements, according to a report on ITV1's Tonight With Trevor McDonald programme.

Out those, eight PCTs had restrictions based on a patient's weight; one restricted surgery to smokers; and a further seven NHS trusts restricted operations to smokers and to obese patients.

Guidelines published by the government's drug rationing body, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, allow trusts to take patients' lifestyles into account in deciding if a treatment would be effective.

But critics interviewed for the programme, Too Fat For Treatment, said care was being restricted on the basis of poor evidence or on financial grounds.

• THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TAX-COLLECTOR PAYS FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE AND YOUR PENSION.

• IT'S BECAUSE THEY REAP A DOUBLE REWARD WHEN THEY DENY YOU CARE: THEY SAVE THE COST OF THE CARE, AND THEN WHEN YOU DIE - PREMATURELY - THEY SAVE THE PENSION PAYOUT.

• THIRD-PARTY PAY FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT INEVITABLY LEADS TO RATIONING - WHICH IS NOTHING ELSE PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS, EVERY SOCIALIST'S FAVORITE PROFESSION.