2013 October 15 « Dr Alf's Blog

English: NHS logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Obesity Campaign Poster (Photo credit: Pressbound)

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I have started to use Storify as a blogging tool. Here is the link to my first Storify publication:

http://storify.com/dralfoldman/uk-obesity-time-to-pay-for-nhs-treatment

Theresa May is proposing to charge health visitors for the cost of non-emergency medical cover on the NHS, so with the NHS in a state of terminal decline, perhaps it’s time for the NHS to charge for other specialized services?

Obesity in the UK is taking an increasing share of NHS budgets; surely, that’s not fair to people who take care of their diet and health?

Similarly, alcohol abuse is another enormous cost to the NHS. Why should those who drink alcohol in moderation be penalized? Perhaps, it’s time to also time for the NHS to charge for treatment caused directly by alcohol abuse?

Any thoughts?

When to stop throwing money at the UK NHS? – John Gelmini (dralfoldman.com)
Atlanta chosen to host obesity forum (onlineathens.com)
Overweight 10-month baby caught up in obesity epidemic sparks crisis warning (express.co.uk)
‘Lifestyle changes affecting NHS’ (bbc.co.uk)
Taft Helped Usher In Modern Obesity Care: Report (huffingtonpost.com)
BBC Science- Risks of Obesity (fcpyear2.wordpress.com)
Call in The Fat Squad: New team of firefighters specially trained to rescue OBESE people (mirror.co.uk)
NHS faces £4bn cash gap, say chiefs (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)
Losing weight can save your joints from arthritis (express.co.uk)
Health tourism is not a significant burden on the NHS (theguardian.com)

English: East entrance of HM Treasury Français : Entrée Est de HM Treasury (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a truly amazing publication from the UK’s HM Treasury on the Chancellor of the Exchequer in China. This is a MUST READ article in my view. Check it out!

via Chancellor of the Exchequer, in China (with images, tweets) · hmtreasury · Storify.

What amazes me is that I thought the HM Treasury was supposed to be independently supporting the government in power? Perhaps, the true professionals have already been culled and all that’s left are the consultants and “yes- men”? This publication smells of seeking patronage and trying to please George Osborne and his cronies, massaging the news.

The reality, of course, is that the UK’s exports to China and access to massive Chinese wealth funds for inward UK investment have been severely curtailed because of David Cameron‘s foreign policy blunders.

With regard to economic policy, there has been huge economic and social damage from excessive austerity, with ineffective attention to investment, improving skills and creating jobs. The Chancellor, George Osborne, is first and foremost a political animal, with no formal education in economics, and little work experience outside politics. Osborne’s policies have largely been ideology based, rather than evidenced-based.

Add to an ineffective Chancellor, an HM Treasury that is trying to please its political masters and we have a very potent and potentially toxic cocktail.

Let me turn this to an open question: