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'NHS should not treat those with unhealthy lifestyles' say Tories
Last updated at 23:22pm on 04.09.07
David Cameron is considering NHS Health Miles Cards to reward clean living
Failing to follow a healthy lifestyle could lead to free NHS treatment being denied under the Tory plans.
Patients would be handed "NHS Health Miles Cards" allowing them to earn reward points for losing weight, giving up smoking, receiving immunisations or attending regular health screenings.
Like a supermarket loyalty card, the points could be redeemed as discounts on gym membership and fresh fruit and vegetables, or even give priority for other public services - such as jumping the queue for council housing.
But heavy smokers, the obese and binge drinkers who were a drain on the NHS could be denied some routine treatments such as hip replacements until they cleaned up their act.
Those who abused the system - by calling an ambulance when a trip to the GP would be sufficient, or telephoning out of hours with needless queries - could also be penalised.
The report calls for a greater emphasis on the "citizen's responsibility" to be healthy and says no one should expect taxpayers to fund their unhealthy lifestyles.
Yet while the Health Miles Card would award points for giving up smoking and losing weight, it could penalise those who are already fit and well because they would receive no benefits under the scheme.
Also, the NHS already demands that obese patients lose weight before receiving hip replacements.
And any moves to impose compulsory cards on patients would provoke a backlash from civil liberties groups.
The Dorrell report also calls for a consultation on raising the smoking age to 18 and for shops to be stripped of their licences if they sell tobacco and alcohol to minors.
It proposes a fully-trained nurse to be made available to every school to offer advice on sexual health - but Tory officials stressed they would not be offering children contraceptives.
Ministers should divert more attention and funding to public health epidemics which are costing the NHS billions a year, the report says.
Reader views (28)
I'm starting to think it might be time for the citizens of Britain to take back the health care industry from your government.
- Paul, MS, USA
Of course, Cameron and those of the out-of-touch political class want us all to live to a ripe old age, whereupon they won't be able to afford our pensions.
State run health care results in the next power grab: we make you pay for the maintenance of your body, therefore we own your body and can tell you what you must do with it.
- Neal Asher, Chelmsford, England
I personally would like to take complete responsibility for my own health. If the government were to allow me to opt out of paying for the NHS three-times the amount it would cost me for private medical insurance I would go that route at once. As it is, I've paid for it, and I will damned well have it. There's a lot of talk in government about contracts, but they made a contract with me the moment they started extracting money from my pay packet. If they break that contract, I am entitled to all my money back, with interest. As it is, the moment they start refusing treatment to me because I'm a smoker is the same moment I stop paying NI.
- Neal Asher, Chelmsford, England
Why can't we just put two-way telescreens with hidden microphones in all homes, and make people perform calisthenics every morning on threat of arrest?
- O'Brien, London,
Are the proposers of this stupidity aware that smokers already pay taxes worth more than 8 times the value of their medical costs? Hence they are major subsiders of the service for the rest of us.
If they have the services (for which they already overpay) withdrawn I would expect them to argue and win a legal case for the reduction or refund of taxation. This would leave the NHS about £6-8 billion worse off.
- Harry Stottle, St Ives, UK
People will still contract diseases, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Mr. Cameron, people will still die. Everyone of us.
- Gary, Rowlett, TX, USA
Is this not all a bit patronising?
- Henry Ellis, London, UK
If this becomes likely to pass, hopefully you'll have enough time to gain weight and start smoking so you can quit afterwards.
- Phil, Rochester, USA
The respose to this proposal, so far, shows the unwillingness of people to accept any responsibility for their own health. They expect the government (actually every other citizen) to fund their irresponsible lifestyles. Such is the legacy of socialized medicine.
I am a Brit living in the US. I have lived under both the UK and US systems - and the old Canadian system. There may be problems with the current US system but the ever increasing problems of the UK's socialised system shows that such is not the way to go.
- Ken Chumbley, North Augusta, SC, USA
What Mr. Cameron wants to do is already done by market forces in the US. Here's a thought: give healthcare back to the free market in England. Not only will the quality increase and the prices fall, but people who abuse their health pay for it themselves.
- David Griffin, Atlanta, GA, USA
This is where the argument for nationalized health care begins to fall apart. When the government tries to exert more and more control over personal lives, not only does the government become bloated with too much authority and tax income, but individuals lose the freedom to choose how to live their lives.
- Bjjfiter, USA
Let me get this straight: you tax your citizens on everything (including televisions)--in order to fund socialised medicine and now you are saying they shouldn't have it (because of their lifestyles). If I lose half my income to fund socialised medicine, then who has the right to refuse it?
Here's a novel idea: If the government stayed out of the health care system, and if it quit trying to be mommy to citizens then maybe the free market would take care of the abuses! Why not demand government do only what it ought to: protect citizens from foreign invasion and criminals, and provide reasonable infrastructure?
- Dbw, Dallas, USA
Is in not true that heavy smokers and drinkers pay substantially higher taxes than those who don't, surly that means they are more entitled to received NHS care than anyone else.
Anybody that is refused access to the NHS should also not have to provide the system with funds either, so if they do restrict access to smokers and drinkers then they should not have to pay NI and tax on cigarettes and alcohol should be slashed.
- Justin Keeble, Ascot
Anyone paying into this system (or any other) should thereby receive response/services from this system. No services, no payments. Let them boot out people with certain conditions including no longer accepting fees/payments from them (that'd eliminate the "universal coverage" model of UK healthcare, right there, if so); but, to not provide services when they are collecting (without option to seek alternative coverage) money from a segment is truly criminal. That it's criminal behaviour by a governmental agency is disgusting.
- Anon, Palm Springs, CA, USA
I'm curious about one thing - even if she loses weight, quits smoking, and goes vegetarian, how long would it take for her to get her hip replacement? I heard it could be six months, or even longer. It would take a week in the States for her to get her surgery, if that.
We really need to know the truth, here in the U.S. since we have a bunch of people that want to give us the same gifts you people have.
- Hal Mccombs, Jasper, Alabama, USA
I agree with F, London. This is quickly becoming the age of Big Brother! Since when have the people allowed their governments to dictate to them their lifestyle choices and requiring them to take mandatory health physicals to qualify for health benefits! Government servants serve at our leisure! It is time to reign in the powers they have ursurped at our expense! If not, we get the government we deserve!
- Fran Cloward, USA
Cameron's an idiot and needs replacing as does his shadow cabinet. Bring back Thatcher and Tebbit.
- B, Bangkok
Hard to believe an educated man could be so dumb. You just alienated a significant percentage of your electorate. Unless your fellow members are equally judgemental, they will jump ship like rats leaving a sinking vessel.
- Marc Schoenfeld, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
If the NHS refuses to treat the unhealthy, bad drivers, criminals, and addicts, who will be left?
- Gerry, Morgan Hill, California, USA
You will never be able to regulate the way people lead their lives, nor should you. While trying to make people healthier is a laudable goal, you cannot do it by government regulation, or by denying them services. That is a recipe for disaster and a step out onto the slippery slope of total government control. Today it is no hip replacements for fat people that won't stop gorging themselves on cakes, or maybe no therapy for heavy smokers that won't kick the habit. Both are lifestyles that are known to lead to disease and early death, so why help people that won't help themselves, but what will tommorow bring? Perhaps soon people over the age of seventy won't get medical help because they are going to die soon anyway. If this is the best way they can find to fix a system that is rapidly breaking down, then you need a whole new system. I would like to see if these new rules would apply to those who are making them.
- Darwin Lester, Scottsville, USA
Nice. I wish they implemented this in the US.
- Adeel, Chicago, IL
Those that choose not to do unhealthy things should be rewarded.
- John Cunningham, Haverford, PA, USA
The Tories will never win a election with Cameron as leader,
He comes across as a rich boy that is completely out of touch with the real world. The tories stand a better chance with Hague at least he knows what he is talking about.
- Mick Wright, Wellingborough, UK
I assume people with unhealthy lifestyles will be exempt from paying NI Contributions as well as being exempt from receiving NI benefits. Just lost my vote Mr Cameron.
- F, London
If the object of the exercise is to anihilate the conservative party for all time, I guess Cameron is doing a rather good job.
- Jim, Menton, France
In that case, those with unhealthy lifestyles should not be expected to contribute to the NHS in any way.
- M, Essex
"Well-behaved council tenants to be given £50,000 to help buy homes"
Excellent idea, I'm ecstatic that he wants to give £50k of my money to other people, how very kind of him, and will he be giving me anything for this wanton act of charity on my part?
- Terry Roll, London
I wholeheartedly agree with his stance on those ignorant folk who deliberately ignore their own health and expect every one else to pick up the pieces. It's high time someone took some action on this.
- Simon Caleb, Clapham, London
