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£300,000 is spent on firemen lifting the obese in London
Sophie Goodchild13.03.09
THE London fire brigade is facing a bill of nearly £300,000 for rescuing obese people.
New figures show fire crews were called to 128 emergencies in the last five years, including those in NHS hospitals. The total cost of lifting excessively overweight patients trapped in beds, baths or chairs was £292,992.
This also includes the cost of moving people from their homes when they have become too fat to walk. The Conservatives, who obtained these figures, warned they showed how rising obesity is putting pressure on emergency services. Shadow health minister and former firefighter Mike Penning said the figures "show the severe strain the growing obesity epidemic is putting our emergency services under". He added: "Labour's complacent attitude has meant that years have been wasted in our bid to deal with this problem."
A quarter of adults and 16 per cent of children are now obese and tackling the crisis has become a major issue. The total cost in England of lifting obese people in the past five years was £4 million. One fire engine a day in Britain is needed because paramedics are unable to move people. The NHS has spent £44 million on specialist equipment for the obese in recent years. London hospitals have widened doors and strengthened lifts and operating tables.
Reader views (4)
This is a multi-faceted problem and blaming Labour is irrlevant. A number of things need to change:-
i) Supermarkets should stop all the BOGOF and similar offers as they are usually promoting foods high in sugar, fat, salt or calories.
ii) Restaurants and cafes should serve smaller and better balanced portions. You should have lasange with salad not chips, etc. and piling plates high is unnecessary. Quality rather than quanity has to be the way forward.
iii) A change in attitude. This is the hardest as many obese people are in denial about the amount they eat. They will say they are a small eater when they consume enough for a small family and forget about those snacksthey eat between meals.
- Michael, London
Thank you,
Andrew from Hampton Hill.
Mr Perfect 2009,
God save the Queen.
- John ,, Scarborough, N. YKS, U.K.
I'm rather puzzled. Why is the Fire Brigade needed? Surely any building contractor with a hoist could lift these fatties out of their homes-and charge them for it, too.
- Nick (Expat), Hong Kong
The £44m mentioned here is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the taxpayer's overall subsidisation of gluttony and sloth. It is only the cost of equipment and exludes the cost of treating obesity related illness.
This is part of the general trend, that has flourished under Labour, of forgetting individual responsibility.
- Andrew, Hampton Hill
