Taking the money out of the NHS

[GastonJ]

Actavis UK has been accused of overcharging the NHS for a lifesaving drug by raising the price by more than 12,000%.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accused Actavis UK of breaking competition law by raising the price for 10mg hydrocortisone tablets from 70p to ?88 over eight years.
Hydrocortisone treats life-threatening conditions such as Addison's disease.
Actavis UK's current owner, Teva, said it would defend the allegations.
Between 2008 and 2015, the CMA claims that the NHS's spending on the drug rose from ?522,000 to ?70m.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38338359

That's what private companies do, they see the NHS as a profit making enterprise and milk it for all they can get. That example really is taking the pi$$. Bet they get away with it as well, rather than paying back the 100's of millions they took out of the NHS while profiting on illness.

[GastonJ]

Looking at this list, it will all be forgotten over a drink in the commons bar

http://www.nhsforsale.info/database/impact-database/conflict-of-interest/GOVERNMENT-POLITICIANS.html

[GastonJ]

Smokers and obese people could have to change their ways before they get NHS treatment under plans by health bosses in East Yorkshire.
People with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or higher may be given six months to lose weight before surgery, while smokers may also have to quit to qualify for non-urgent operations.
The plans by East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) come after the equivalent group for York sparked controversy by unveiling similar proposals.
CCG chair Dr Gina Palumbo said the group was "looking at a number of measures to improve the health and wellbeing of patients and address the financial challenges we face".

http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2016-12-20/obese-people-and-smokers-in-east-yorkshire-face-nhs-treatment-threat/

Surgeons have criticised Theresa May after she became the first prime minister to back an NHS organisation’s plans to ration treatment to patients who smoke or are significantly overweight.

The Royal College of Surgeons said Downing Street was endorsing an “arbitrary” scheme that would condemn people needing a new hip or knee to suffering pain for a longer period.

The college, which represents 14,000 surgeons in England, said the controversial money-saving policy in the Vale of York, which will force patients to wait up to a year for operations they require, would cost the NHS more in the long run.
“We are very disappointed that NHS England and No 10 seem to be backing this arbitrary policy, given emerging local NHS sustainability and transformation plans have yet to be given a chance to make planned short and long-term savings,” an RCS spokesman told the Guardian.
“Policies that target smokers and obese patients only delay patient care, and it is hard to see how it will ultimately save any money, as patients whose treatment is delayed will, in most cases, present later, often with even worse outcomes.”
The British Medical Association (BMA), which represents doctors, also criticised the Vale of York NHS clinical commissioning group (CCG) policy and said it amounted to “rationing on the basis of poverty”, because many of the smokers or obese patients likely to be affected would be from poor families.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/29/surgeons-nhs-delay-treatment-obese-patients-smokers-york

So how soon before the following groups aren't given care

Cyclists
Motor vehicle drivers
Sports enthusiasts

Until they stop taking part in activities that can cause them to need treatment (although how much treatment cyclists need when they get squished by a double decker is debatable anyway). I don't smoke, and I'm not overweight, but the point of the NHS is you pay in and treatment is free at the point of need. Perhaps private companies aren't making cash on the treatment, but they do run stop smoking classes and diet classes eh.

[Meat-Head]

Goes both ways

1) fat bloater, knees gone faulty due to excess weight

2) fat bloater, nothing wrong with them, untill they slip
on a slippery concrete step delivering four candles to some weird people

[gmb45]

over weight people have always had to lose weight before big operations i know quiet a few peeps who have had to, and smokers have had to quit before they will do heart ops etc, as for refusing to do minor ops on smokers is very hypocrital to say the least when they are collecting 8 ish billion in taxes every year from tobacco sales.