NHS being the national health service (in the UK). Do smokers deserve to have a heart operation if it is their fault that they smoke?
2007-11-06 04:55:51 · 24 answers · asked by Baked Beans 3 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
No.
Infact, in the UK, a cardiac surgeon will refuse to operate on a person who still smokes - that has been the policy for several years.
People often try to campare this senario with liver disease caused by drinking etc...etc... but they dont understand the crux of the problem.
Smoking Kills you - its a fact and its printed on packets of cigarettes.
If a person, by their own free will and foolishness, decides to deliberately inhale a cocktail of lethal chemicals then they should pay for the consequences of their actions.
2007-11-06 20:46:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
i hate these debates!
just because someone has contributed to their illness by smoking it doesn't mean they should be refused treatment. I think the NHS should pay. These people have been paying their national insurance and also loads of tax on the cigarettes.
Using deodorant has been linked to breast cancer so does that mean we should not treat ladies with breast cancer, or what about cervical cancer? If someone has got it through the virus HPV then should we refuse to treat them because it was there fault, they had sex?
do you see where this is going, refuse one group of people treatment because of lifestyle choices and in the end you'll be refusing over half the population. At the end of the day all human life is valuable and all people deserve treatment
silver* my little girl has heart disease too< she has this through no fault of her own and of course she deserves the best treatment in the world as far as i am concerned< but i also believe that everybody deserves the best treatment they can get
2007-11-08 01:10:05 · answer #2 · answered by donnajaneindigo 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If it wasnt for smokers the NHS wouldnt have as much money as it does.
If you were going to stipulate/ discriminate who should not be entitled because of their lifestyle you would have to include every single person with an addiction/affliction/Hobby which may effect their health.
How about extending it further to vehicle drivers who crash. If they didnt drive they wouldnt have crashed etc.
The list would be never ending.
I am a non smoker and would encourage all smokers to give up but I dont agree that we should discriminate against people.
We all pay into the fund so be entitled to use it in whatever capacity we require it for.
2007-11-06 05:10:25 · answer #3 · answered by little_one 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I agree with the last two, yes, of course the NHS should pay if it's a matter of life and death.
People need to give up smoking, drinking and overeating, but the NHS is there to make people better, not to pass judgment.
2007-11-06 05:10:51 · answer #4 · answered by Andrew L 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I think the NHS should encourage people to stop smoking before they have the operation if it is this that has directly contributed to their problem. I would agree with not letting them have the operation at all but it is also cruel to leave them and risk them dying. People who smoke naturally take it for granted that it will not cause them any problems so they deserve a second chance.
2007-11-07 04:01:30 · answer #5 · answered by Reecie 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think the NHS should treat each and every patient for what ever ails them.
I also have to say my husband has renal failure he is due for dialysis soon and he has never drunk or smoked in his life.
Just a thought , if you send for an ambulance for an emergency will they be asking you if you smoke or drink or will they taking a look at you to see if you are obese or will they ask if you are a druggie .or HIVpositive and if you answer, heaven forbid you do any of these, will they refuse to see to you.Looking to the future I think eventually you will only get treatment if you are "healthy". and rich.
2007-11-06 05:32:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
yes they should what about all the smoke from car exhausts
going in to the lungs of folk should all car driver be made to pay the smokers pay tax to the government every time they bye a pocket of fags so actually they pay more tax than non smokers last time i was in hospital the ward i was in was full of smokers with heart attacks the doctor came round and told one that they could do nothing to help him as his artery's were like thread and he smoked it was the worst thing i have had to see in my life
2007-11-09 07:18:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Whilst smoking remains legal, of course they should. Are you seriously suggesting that the NHS plays god with treatments, depending on whether the injured party chose to partake in the action that led to the consequence?
Why not refuse to treat crash victims - they could have walked/not attempted to retune the radio/etc. Broke your neck playing Rugby? Too bad, run it off....
In a perfect world, I would make them sign something promising to give up, though. If they went back on the fags, I would repo the heart...
2007-11-06 05:21:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes
The smokers an idiot for smoking, but just because somebodies made a bad decision it's sickening that some people would let them die. We all do things that are contrary to our health, what would be the point in living if we didn't have the freedom to make our own choices?
2007-11-06 05:05:38 · answer #9 · answered by Bealzebub 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
The anti smoking lobby is all about what stinks to some people!! It is all based on fuzzy science, meaning there is no absolute fact that smoking causes all the ills it is claimed to cause.
If NHS is going to deny anyone services, they must deny them to everyone if they chew gum!!!
2007-11-06 08:04:29 · answer #10 · answered by Nana Lamb 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋