A Tory MP who sparked fury by insisting A&E patients should wait longer than four hours has previously suggested the NHS should charge for smoking, obesity and alcohol-related illnesses
A Tory MP who sparked fury by insisting that A&E patients should wait longer than four hours to be seen has previously suggested the NHS should charge for smoking, obesity and alcohol-related illnesses.
MP and GP Phillip Lee made the front page of the Daily Mirror today for saying that “there are a number of people in A&E who should be waiting more than four hours”.
He also said the four-hour waiting time was part of a “target culture” inherited from Labour and suggested that David Cameron had slashed funding for mental health services to divert cash to struggling A&Es.
He told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire yesterday:
“There have been difficult decisions made on funding because we have inherited a target culture of saying we’ve to meet four-hour targets in A&E.
“Personally, I think there are a number of people in A&E who should be waiting more than four hours, okay?”
It’s now emerged that back in 2012 Mr Lee also suggested those who eat junk food should pay for treatment before soaring costs bankrupt the NHS.
“If you want to have doughnuts for breakfast, lunch and dinner, fine, but there’s a cost,” Mr Lee told an Institute of Economic Affairs briefing.
He also suggested that people with recognised medical conditions such as diabetes shouldn’t be entitled to free prescription drugs:
“The current situation, when diabetics and people with an under-active thyroid are entitled to all drugs to be free is just indefensible, plainly daft. There is scope here to reduce or flatten out the health care budget.”
The revelations are likely to feed accusations that the Conservatives can’t be trusted with the NHS.
Under the Tory-led coalition, hospital A&E departments have missed the NHS’s target for 95 per cent of people to be seen within four hours for 92 weeks in a row. In total the number of patients waiting longer than four hours in A&E has risen by over 300 per cent since 2009/10.
James Bloodworth is the editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter
18 Responses to “Tory MP: Make overweight people pay to use NHS”
Gerschwin
‘The revelations are likely to feed accusations that the Conservatives can’t be trusted with the NHS’ Balls. He’s not suggesting anyone should roll up the NHS (even though we should). He’s saying fat people need to get a grip and take responsibility for themselves – damned right they should.
JAMES MCGIBBON
Pickles and the greedy fat bastard party come to mind.
Leon Wolfeson
So poor people with medical conditions – especially diabetics – should DIE? Because that’s what he’s saying.
sarntcrip
another reason to make may 7 save the NHS from tory destruction day.
littleoddsandpieces
NHS – BOOK IN – WAIT 3 HOURS – ALL MOVE TOGETHER – POLITICALLY ORGANISED MANAGEMENT STYLE
LIB DEMS – MORAL THIEVES OF STATE PENSION ALONGSIDE TORIES
Lib Dem Pensions Minister Mr Steve Webb
See why at end of my petition, in my WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT section, at:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/state-pension-at-60-now
A GP PHILLIP LEE WHO DOESN’T COMPREHEND
THE LIFE THREATENING DIABETES AND UNDER ACTIVE THYROID
…diabetics and people with an under-active thyroid are entitled to all drugs to be free is just indefensible, plainly daft …
DIABETES – FATAL CONDITION for life
UNDER ACTIVE THYROID – FATAL CONDITION for life
MP and GP Phillip Lee – by gum, don’t go to that GP in Bracknell.
His knowledge of medicine is alarmingly low.
THYROID – HEART ATTACK STROKE – INSTANT DEATH WITHOUT THE TABLETS
Consultants do not comprehend how complex this condition is, so we don’t get anything like sufficient treatment for those with more than just the come and garden variety, as it is.
VOTE LABOUR IN BRACKNELL – NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE
LABOUR is the only on list to vote in Bracknell.
GREENS ABANDONED THE POOR, THE SICK, THE DISABLED, THE OLD
IN ABANDONING MOST OF ITS BEST POLICIES, INCLUDING THE LIVING WAGE
NHS – OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE PAY TO STAY OVERNIGHT
100 PER CENT TAXPAYERS – POOR PAY A 90 PER CENT TAX RATE
75 per cent of all taxes come from the stealth indirect
taxes and VAT, we all pay, in or out of work, however long we live.
Condoms and lubricants,
tampons,
maternity pads and breast maternity pads,
alcohol,
cigarettes,
sweets, cakes,
hot take away food,
coffee or tea in cafe,
yoghurt, ice cream,
60 per cent of petrol bill on your little moped,
half your home energy bill in taxes and VAT,
premium tax on your house or car insurance,
bicycles lights,
chocolate biscuits,
delivery charges – post and packing,
cold fruit juice,
shelled nuts,
prams and pushciars,
potato crisps,
electrical goods,
Kindle e-books and apps music and online videos,
CDS, DVDs,
bottled water,
calendars and diaries,
kid’s car safety seats,
taxi fares,
fizzy pop drinks,
20 per cent VAT
on self storage units,
20 per cent VAT
online gaming
et al ad nausem.
Premium tax on electrical goods insurance, travel insurance,
and optional powered wheelchair or mobility scooter insurance.
For flights of course we have one of the highest APD tax on top of our cheap flight tickets in the world.
Just see below how much money has been raised from that since 2003.
The amount of stealth taxes has gone up 50 per cent in the
last decade, with the Daily Telegraph listing £1,700 per family rise.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/tax/11197181/Households-pay-an-extra-1700-in-stealth-tax.html