Comments on: Dying to protect the NHS: a political perversion of healthcare

By: jerome lowenstein MD

jerome lowenstein MD — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:39:32 +0000

Debbie,
I applaud your outspoken, clearminded response to the NHS ruling.
We do live in an unfair world. I see it when one of my patients, faced with hemodialysis, goes off to India or China and “gets” a kidney. These same people come back to the US and are entitled to followup care and medications through Medicare. It is not fair that some people can buy a kidney, but how many of us would not do the same if faced with a 7 year waiting list for a cadaveric graft?

By: Michael Lasserson

Michael Lasserson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:28:08 +0000

Dear Debbie,

Bravo! This is you – writing at the top of your voice against an iniquitous measure which could leave so many people marooned in a treatmentless limbo as their NHS links are severed because they elect to spend what resources they might have on treatment which could prolong life – and which is not adequately available on the NHS, and is in addition to that which they are already receiving and must continue to receive. As you point out so succinctly, this can only hit at those who CANNOT really afford – whereas it won’t touch those who really CAN afford and who are able to sustain the burden of private health care based on huge health insurance payments. This is a measure which is clinically outrageous and morally reprehensible. It should provoke a huge bellow of anger from the profession and its Royal Colleges – but I wonder how loud will be the contribution from our own College.

Years ago, Keith Joseph – a Tory – admitted that this is not a good country in which to grow old. And now – with a measure such as this – one might be justified in commenting that it’s not such a good country in which to be ill.

Best
Michael

By: Donald Irvine

Donald Irvine — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:28:36 +0000

On Jun 15 2008, Donald Irvine wrote:

Debbie,

Well done. It begins to look as though the government may shift its position this week, but we shall see.

Did you see the piece by Robert Shrimsley in the Financial Times this week – 12th June under Notebook? It takes the form of a spoof letter from Alan Johnson to Mrs Wilson explaining why she should be ashamed of herself for thinking ‘co-payment’. It drives the immorality of the government’s position home in a devastating way.

As ever,

Donald