Earlier this week, Tory MP Phillip Lee made the brash statement that if people eat doughnuts for breakfast, they should be expected to pay for their own healthcare.
The MP, who is also a practising GP has claimed that the rising cost of obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases could potentially bankrupt the NHS unless people begin to take more responsibility for their health. Dr Lee suggested that having people with long term conditions related to obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and other lifestyle choices pay for their treatments at cost price would reduce the burden on the NHS.
This has enraged many people in the diabetes community, as most of us know that diabetes is not solely caused by obesity; genetics, common medications such as corticosteroids and statins, air pollution, plastics and beauty products have all been linked with developing type 2 diabetes in recent months. Should people be punished for developing a condition totally which may not be linked with lifestyle choice after all?
Doesn’t really make a lot of sense. Maybe the NHS need to get a firm grasp on their ‘depressingly poor’ diabetes care before they start making type 2 patients pay for the ‘care’ they receive… or maybe MPs can start paying for their own second homes. Ever think of that, Dr. Lee?
We’ll see how far this MP’s sentiments go over the next few years.
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