howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Last weekend 3 out of 4 admissions were due to an excess of alcohol, expected in advance as for many it was the start of the festive break. Leaving aside how unnerving and unpleasant it must be for hospital staff should patients be forced to pay for their treatment?
Guest 1621- Registered: 17 Dec 2015
- Posts: 32
If they are clearly too drunk to look after themselves, or aggressive, then yes.
"All is flux, nothing stays still." - Heraclitus of Ephesus
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
People will argue against charging on the grounds that most times it is human error that takes us to A & E, pedestrians crossing a road without looking both ways or a motorist that drives without due care and attention and makes contact with a tree. However they are much fewer in number and unlikely to verbally abuse or assault NHS staff. Binge drinking has been with us for over 20 years now, we have all seen enough documentaries and news items showing drunken brawling or youngsters unconscious in gutters here and in popular resorts abroad. They clearly have enough disposable income so 50 quid or so each time they end up in casualty is within their reach.
Reginald Barrington
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,259
I would argue that if you start charging for injuries due to drunkeness you have to charge for treatments given for obesity and smoking related illnesses personally I would go with the military system of self inflicted injuries, 1 colleague was on a charge for sunburn, I was charged for having an eyebrow shaved off when I was drunk and thus incapable of preventing it.
Also at the moment I know a particularly large young lady who is currently desperately trying to loose 2 stone, not for health reasons but so she can have gastric band surgery on the NHS.
Arte et Marte
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
We are talking about A & E rather than long term conditions Reg. Obesity and smoking related illnesses are rather more complicated and difficult to pinpoint the cause. Not many years back the figures showed that tobacco tax paid for the entire NHS budget 3 fold. Different now of course with less smokers, the advent of vaping and illicit cigarettes more available.
Reginald Barrington- Location: Dover
- Registered: 17 Dec 2014
- Posts: 3,259
Good point Howard, but in the spirit of the forum going off topic is the norm
Arte et Marte