Patients With ‘Self-Inflicted’ Illnesses Face Discrimination
Smokers, people with alcohol problems and the obese could be denied priority treatment on the NHS if they do not try to change their lifestyle. The Cabinet is discussing the controversial idea as part of a drive by Tony Blair to secure his domestic political legacy by pushing through a final round of public service reforms before he departs next year.
{mosimage}Ministers will confront a panel of 100 ordinary people with some of the “tough choices” facing the Government under a consultation exercise giving the public a direct say in the new policies.
One question will be whether people whose lifestyle makes them ill should get the same priority as other patients. This would mean changing NHS guidelines saying that people should not be discriminated against “even if their illnesses are to some extent self-inflicted”.
A Cabinet review group on public services was shocked by the scale of the burden caused by people’s lifestyles. “Ministers were shocked by the fact that half of all years of healthy life are lost as a result of behavioural factors (e.g. smoking and diet),” a Government source said.
Ministers want a “cultural change” in public services so the state can support and encourage people to change their behaviour to improve their life chances and well-being.
Read More