It seems that my post yesterday about Nanny Banning Fat People, where I suggested that obesity was but the thin end of the wedge, may have been somewhat prescient of the shape of things to come.The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (perversely named NICE) have issued guidelines that suggest that medical help could be refused to heavy drinkers, smokers and those who are overweight.
Principle 10 of the guidelines on Social Value Judgements state:
"NICE and its advisory bodies should avoid denying care to patients with conditions that are,or may be, self-inflicted (in part or in whole).
If, however, self-inflicted cause(s) of the condition influence the clinical or cost effectiveness of the use of an intervention, it may be appropriate to take this into account."
-Who decides what is self inflicted?
-Who decides what constitutes obese?
-Who decides what constitutes heavy drinking?
Nanny!
A poll by the website www.doctors.net.uk found one in five doctors said they had withheld treatment from a patient because of their "unhealthy" lifestyle.
Decisions are already being taken without our consent/knowledge, based on subjective judgements about our lifestyles.
The future is now!
...."this would not apply to serving or past Ministers"
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately!
What is obese? My bodymass index is 31, which according to the health Nazis constitutes borderline obesity. However I'm a keen open-water (wild) swimmer, and I've developed a layer of subcutaneous fat (blubber!?) which is the usual physiological response to frequent immersion in cold water. So despite being fit enough to be able to swim literally miles in open water, I'd be classified as a fat couch potato. Just goes to show how pigeonholing dosen't work.
ReplyDeletePete
NB You never see a slim Channel swimmer!
pete roberts makes a very good point. Clearly it would be ludicrous to consider him a couch potato so to deny him treatment for physical conditions would be entirely wrong. There will surely be enough exceptions by BMI number to make the whole assessment thing a nonsense.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand anyone who chooses to swim frequently in cold water is clearly insane (in my view and representing semi-couch potatoes everywhere) and so any MENTAL and Psyshological care in general, that he might need at some future point, should, obviously, be denied since prior insanity has already been admitted as part of his post!
;-)
Grant