MtnBiker
06-04-2007, 09:29 AM
Smokers told to quit or surgery will be refused
By DAN NEWLING - Smokers are to be denied operations on the NHS unless they give up cigarettes for at least four weeks beforehand
Doctors will police the rule by ordering patients to take a blood test to prove they have not been smoking.
The ruling, authorised by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, comes after medical research conclusively showed smokers take longer to recover from surgery.
It is thought that 500,000 smokers a year will be affected.
However patients' groups argue that the move is about the NHS saving money rather than improving patient care.
Full Story
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=459574&in_page_id=1770#StartComments)
I wonder how long it will be before this logic is applied to people who are overweight?
By DAN NEWLING - Smokers are to be denied operations on the NHS unless they give up cigarettes for at least four weeks beforehand
Doctors will police the rule by ordering patients to take a blood test to prove they have not been smoking.
The ruling, authorised by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, comes after medical research conclusively showed smokers take longer to recover from surgery.
It is thought that 500,000 smokers a year will be affected.
However patients' groups argue that the move is about the NHS saving money rather than improving patient care.
Full Story
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=459574&in_page_id=1770#StartComments)
I wonder how long it will be before this logic is applied to people who are overweight?