Big Government Running Wild in the U.K.

Big government is running wild in the U.K. -- with predictably worse and worse results.  Get a gander of the latest proposals from the Conservative party to save Britain's socialized medicine scheme -- along with its failing schools and failing public housing scheme:

Patients who refuse to change their unhealthy lifestyles should not be treated by the NHS, the Conservatives said today.

In a bid to ease spiralling levels of obesity and other health concerns, a Tory panel said certain treatments should be denied to patients who refuse to co-operate with health professionals and live healthier lifestyles.

And those who do manage to improve their general health by losing weight and quitting smoking, for example, would receive "Health Miles" cards.

Points earned could then be used to pay for health-related products such as gym membership and fresh vegetables.

The aim is a shift in the NHS towards preventing disease and ill-health rather than having to treat it.

The proposal was one of a raft of measures suggested in a review of public services, ordered by David Cameron.

The 200-page study, entitled Restoring Pride in Our Public Services, was carried out by the Conservative public services improvement policy group's review co-chaired by former health secretary Stephen Dorrell and leading educationalist Baroness Perry.

"It is inconsistent with the concept of the responsible citizen to imagine that it is realistic for citizens, having paid their taxes, to expect that the state will underwrite the health implications of any lifestyle decision they choose to make," the report states.

Along with the health proposals were a raft of suggested changes in education and housing.

Smaller schools, it has been suggested, would improve overall results.

In cases where pupil numbers are falling large schools in the centre of London and other cities would be closed, rather than smaller schools in outlying areas. Inner city pupils could be transported to schools in the suburbs and even villages to ensure they remain open.

"Schools within schools" could be created to tackle poor discipline, particularly in large schools, national targets could be reduced and struggling pupils could be forced to repeat their final year at primary school.

Former chief inspector of schools Lady Perry said: "Every time we have a cutting back of numbers in schools, the knee-jerk reaction is to close all the little village schools or suburban schools and bus all the pupils into great big city schools.

"Schools are getting bigger and bigger. All the evidence is that discipline, achievement and standards are better in small schools than they are in big ones. So why don't we instead close the great big city school if numbers start to fall and bus the children out to the villages?

Is it any coincidence that two of the biggest programs the government controls in Britain -- the medical system and the schools -- are a total mess?

When socialized medicine fails, the "solution" is to impose tighter and tighter arbitrary controls on patients.

How will those controls work?  Will everyone who engages in behaviors the medical establishment deems high risk -- from high risk pregnancies to alternative lifestyles -- be denied medical care?  Or will only certain unhealthy lifestyles be penalized, while other "politically correct" unhealthy lifestyles receive a free pass?  The potential for abuse is staggering.

Besides, even those with very healthy lifestyles can, and do, become seriously ill.  Penalizing unhealthy lifestyles will only get you so far.  At some point, doctors must be able to treat successfully the inevitable diseases of birth, childhood, adulthood, and aging.  That is where socialized medicine predictably fails,

And what is the proposed reward for Britons who have an excellent lifestyle?  A coupon for free vegetables and a gym membership.  Good grief. 

You work hard, take care of your health, and save the system thousands of dollars a year and you get  . . . a coupon for turnips.  Nice.

It's almost funny.

Comments

[reliapundit]

D' YA THINK THEY'LL INCLUDE HOMOSEXUALITY AS A RISKY LIFESTYLE AND REFUSER TO PAY FOR HIV TREATMENT!?!?

NOPE.

THAT WOULDN'T BE PC.

THIS IS ABOUT AN ELITE FOISTING THEIR VALUES ON THE MASSES - "FOR THE COMMON GOOD" OF COURSE.

BY HANDING OVER HEALTHCARE TO THE GOVERNMENT, THIS ELITE HAS THE POWER TO INFLICT THEIR PC VALUES ON EVERYONE.

THIS IS STALINISM.

WHAT MAKES IT WORSE IS THAT SO MANY OF THE NANNYSTATE GOVERNMENT ALSO CONTROL PENSIONS.

THIS CREATES A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON THE STATE:

THEY SAVE TWICE BY DENYING YOU CARE - AND LETTING YOU DIE: THEY SAVE THE MEDICAL EXPENSE AND THE PENSION PAYOUT.

CAMERON IS A LEFTIST. THATCHER SHOULD SPEAK OUT.