It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

It's very rare that I vent my spleen (in fact I can't really, because I lost mine following a Motor Scooter accident in 1966 {mods rule}) like this but I was just watching the BBC News and an article regarding the NHS's refusal to fund a gastric band op for an obese person.

The media have gotten hold of it and hyping it up, he has lost the sight in an eye due to his diabetes cause by him being overweight blar, blar blar, lets all feel sorry for him.

He apparently is 22 stone, I know perfectly healthy people at that weight, it's hardly massive.

I know this is going to upset a few people BUT, my message to him is................get off your fat arse, do some excersise and stop eating so much.

Why should we (oops! sorry you) pay for these lazy buggers who will not help themselves.

Yes, I know he's paid in all his life, blar, blar blar. but surely this is one of the reasons that the UK is in the mess it is. Why do something for yourself when you can get someone else to do it and pay for it for you.

Rant over..............................

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

Alan I think in some instances people look for a quick and easy solution to a problem, one which does not involve putting in any effort or will power themselves.

I am amazed that some people are so eager to resort to surgery which in itself carries risks when an alternative remedy to the problem is available.

I agree 22st is not that excessive, also I understand before this kind of procedure is carried out the person must lose some weight of their own accord , if this person lost a little he may not need the band fitting anyway.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

Whatever the real reasons for his condition are and only the medics really know as the rest is media hype and speculation, he obviously needs help.

He is not old and should still be able to contribute to society so why should he be denied.
Is he really any different to the multitudes of NHS tourists coming from abroad?, a good proportion of whom have tenuous links at best to the U.K.

Why can we not therefore try and improve the quality of life of a Brit who has actually contributed to the system, a hackneyed phrase I grant you but it is high time we looked after our own.
At least he should be given the chance to get better, if he then chooses to ignore all the help and advice it is on his shoulders.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

Hammer we don't of course know all the facts. I have heard of people being refused this operation because the failed to meet the criteria of losing some weight. I guess it is necessary for them to do this to show a degree of commitment. Perhaps this person failed to do that.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

I'm sorry but I may now come over as an uncaring and hard person. BUT surely he has had every opportunity to do something for himself. When he was diagnosed with diabetes because of his weight, shouldn't that have been the trigger point to do something for himself.

I did after I had let myself go, and was given a very scary warning. I was told that I need to lose weight and excersize. I went on a diet and started to excersize, gentle at first, but now, almost 2 years on, I'm probably fitter than I have been for years.

As for looking after our own, that's a joke, I have contributed to the UK system all of my working life, up to 10 years ago. If I tried to return to the UK for treatment I would have to wait 6 months. In Spain if you 'aint paid you get nowt.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

It's all very sad really having to resort to this sort of extreme to get your health and weight in order.I know that generally people don't have enough discipline when it comes to will power and lifestyle but sometimes other factors are involved.Certain people have a problem with the body not knowing when they have satisfied their hunger.This apparently is the brain not recognizing the signals.Can you imagine always feeling hungry even when you have eaten.A problem indeed and one I think must be a continual struggle to deal with.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

That is the point I was making Meg, everyone assumes he is at fault here and in truth they have not one iota of real proof that is the case.
From what I read at the start of his fight he is, at 22 stone and with a BMI of 43, not heavy enough to qualify for the operation in his area but if he lived in a neighbouring authority there would have been no problem.

It seems nonsensical to say in essence that he has to put on weight in order to be helped.I guess they would also prefer to pay his dialysis costs which might not be required if he had the op.

With respect how can you possibly say that without knowing his entire history, it is well documented in his local papers and in at least one medical paper that his weight spiralled after his treatment for other issues including diabetes.
Who knows the truth of it?
As to your last point, I know nothing of the rules regarding Ex Pats so cannot comment except to say that I had heard the rules regarding NHS treatment had been or were about to be changed.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

That is the real scandal - the postcode lottery in the NHS. My wife is crippled with arthritis and desperately needs both knees replaced. She has been told that (at 50) she is too young and is unlikely to get the ops she needs for 8 years. Meanwhile, she is on a scary amount of drugs to control the appalling pain she is in 24/7. Most of these are controlled (opiate) drugs which are extremely expensive. 8 years of these drugs must be much more expensive than the operation, but because they come out of the GP budget and not the hospital budget, that seems to be acceptable to the Health Authority. What makes it much worse is that recently on a trip to Kent, she had an accident and damaged her knee. While in casualty at Maidstone General, the orthopedic consultant told her that if she lived locally, the ops would be done within 6 months. How can that be right?
It is a crazy situation - she is on DLA and Incapacity. I get a carers allowance for her. She is on a ridiculous amount of controlled drugs for the pain - all of which money could be saved with two relatively cheap and simple operations - after which she could go back to work and continue being a productive member of society. Some very weird priorities here.......

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

MickB, I think that is a total travesty, it just leaves me speechless when I hear things like that.

The point I was trying to make was that there are cases like yours, where through no fault of your own, are being held up by cases caused by self infliction.

Whilst somebody that can't be bothered to look after themselves is getting treatment, someone like your wife is having to suffer.

Nothing anyone has said so far has changed my mind about the particular case that set me off on this rant, if anything when I hear cases like yours it makes me MORE ANGRY.

I hope you are able to get something sorted soon and your wife can be out of pain and drug free.

Re: It makes me sooooooooooo ANGRY.......

Mick,
I am really sorry to hear of your good lady's terrible situation and hope that you both find a better solution soon.

Tragically, yours is an all too familiar account of what the situation is like and seems to prevail whatever hue the government is.

We all have heard about the post code lottery regarding the availability of certain drugs or treatments.
The ones surrounding cancer like Velcade, Herceptin and SIRT will always make the banner headlines as it is perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be the most important.

One aspect that I find remarkable is the vast differences between different areas of the UK.
Sometime ago I looked at the NHS Atlas of Variation, it is astonishing to see the results. Clearly some NHS trusts were and still are failing in important areas like cancer, heart and stroke, and diabetes care.

The maps showed back then and I daresay nothing much has changed that, there can be up to a 14 fold difference in spend on broken hips between the best and worst areas. Some health authorities spend nearly three times as much on cancer inpatient care as others in nearby authorities.

On the more routine but still very important surgery the situation is even worse with vast variations in spend.

It might be worth your while in talking at length to your MP, a long shot I know but you might just get lucky.
Best wishes to you both.
George.