The most obvious difference between ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ countries is that the former provide health care for most or all of their lucky citizens. At least they used to:
Obese patients and smokers banned from routine surgery in ‘most severe ever’ rationing in the UK
(Telegraph) – Obese people will be routinely refused operations across the NHS, health service bosses have warned, after one authority said it would limit procedures on an unprecedented scale. Hospital leaders in North Yorkshire said that patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above – as well as smokers – will be barred from most surgery for up to a year amid increasingly desperate measures to plug a funding black hole. The restrictions will apply to standard hip and knee operations.
The decision, described by the Royal College of Surgeons as the ‘most severe the modern NHS has ever seen’, led to warnings that other trusts will soon be forced to follow suit and rationing will become the norm if the current funding crisis continues.
Chris Hopson, the head of NHS Providers, which represents acute care, ambulance and community services, said: ‘I think we are going to see more and more decisions like this.
‘It’s the only way providers are going to be able to balance their books, and in a way you have to applaud their honesty. You can see why they’re doing this – the service is bursting at the seams.’
The announcement is the latest in a series of setbacks for patients who are facing rolling strikes by junior doctors that threaten to cripple the health service as winter approaches.
This post was published at DollarCollapse on SEPTEMBER 3, 2016.
Follow on Twitter
Recent Comments