Preparing for battle and backlash

[POPPET]

Well its our turn to be in the news headlines

So those of us pre-ops fighting for funding will have some more ammunition
- However we shall have to prepare ourselves for some "bad" and downright "wrong" press

 

[Cuppacocoa]

What have they been saying now?
Cuppa xx

 

[Sambucca]

BBC News - NHS obesity operation access inconsistent, surgeons say

 

[salski]

Obese patients 'encouraged to put on weight to qualify for surgery' | Society | guardian.co.uk

 

[StephieAck]

Just switched on the tv after being on the wii fit and came in late on an interview with a weight loss surgery patient and was interested and watched. They were saying that people were getting in touch to say that weight problems were the persons fault and so shouldnt be funded by the NHS and the fella said exactly the right thing about how the NHS fund smoking and drug treatment, both things being things that are the persons fault and the fact that you can give up both and its ok but you simply CANT never eat again, I hoped he would say that.
Sian didnt seem very sympathetic and actually annoyed me and I like her!!
I dont think that there will EVER be sympathy to our cause and I think that this coverage will actually hurt us rather than help us, though I hope it has some positive effects.
Ah well, another day in the world of weight issues.
Steph xx

 

[Glenville]

I didn't see the TV interview but listened to the Radio 4 Today programme item and an "expert" said that the cost of wls is usually recouped within 3-4 years through savings on weight-related illnesses.

So, it's OK for someone who skis to have their broken leg fixed but not for us to save the country wads of money.

 

[lamornamiss]

I was one of those people who were told to go away and put on weight (5 stone to be exact) as the PCT (Dudley) wouldn't fund anyone without co-morbidities with a BMI of less than 60.
Lucky for me I was under a different PCT ((Sandwell)having moved house 12 months before) and am now well on the way to surgery (hopefully May)
Its not a fair system and now some one has bought it into the spotlight and hopefully it will be sorted out.
Good luck those still fighting

 

[fatbutnot4eva]

It is complete madness, there shoudl not be a postcode lottery in the end the whole of the UK is covered by the NHS so there should be one rule for everyone.
It annoys me when they ask if you have any associated co-morbitidies if you answer no its like oh right !! mmm .....what are they annoyed you decide to do something before you do, and if you do have them they are annoyed that you didnt do something before you did.

 

[Pandora_150]

I think that this just goes to show how much 'fatism' is alive and well in our society! Its ok for treatments for the Drugs that people put into their own body (nicotene, alcohol, illigal drugs); but when you admit you have a problem with substances that are freely available and need to sustain your life (ie, food) then you shouldn't be treated! Or at least the process is unfair and discriminatory in what help is available, and the treatment you get depends on where you live!

If someone is seeking WLS then they have taken responsibility for their 'problem' and is seeking help. Would the NHS turn away an alcoholic who wanted to give up drink because he didn't drink enough to quallify him for treatment??? Would the NHS turn away a Crack addict who wanted to get clean, but was told he had to go away and increase his crack intake before he got help??? Would the NHS turn away a smoker who wanted to quit just because they didn't have lung cancer??? - The NHS would be villified and repremanded!

ARGH! It bugs me that if someone was discriminated because of any other physical difference (skin colour, hair colour, disability...) then it is illigal and frowned upon and nasty and reprehensable... yet if the person is fat, then it is justified. Especially when your told your not fat enough to get help!

I started listening to BBC Five Live this morning and it said that in responce to this news they were going to do a phone-in about how claiming you have an 'addiction' gives you an excuse to not take responsibility. I wasn't able to listen to how the discussion turned out so I can't comment on which direction it turned. But I have to say, I admitted I had an addiction to food - and it HELPED me as it MADE me take responsibility for the additcion, and FORCED me to get help - I needed the NHS to help me get a handle on that addiction through this surgery.

Steph x

 

[candie]

I know a few people who have been through either drug or alcohol rehab, and their stay in the rehab centre , plus years of aftercare add up to far more than the cost of either a band or bypass on the nhs.Additionally a lot of recovering addicts are on benefits which cos the government far more in the long run, than the ops would
I have nothing against people going through rehab, but imo they do not get the stigma that overweight people do, and that is just not fair, as we are addicted to food

 

[lamornamiss]

BBC News - NHS obesity operation access inconsistent, surgeons say

I was one of those people who were told to go away and put on weight (5 stone to be exact) as the PCT (Dudley) wouldn't fund anyone without co-morbidities with a BMI of less than 60.
Lucky for me I was under a different PCT ((Sandwell)having moved house 12 months before) and am now well on the way to surgery (hopefully May)
Its not a fair system and now some one has bought it into the spotlight and hopefully it will be sorted out.
Good luck those still fighting

Blimey i filled in the little box on the above web site and now someone wants to talk to me about it

 

[phatmomma]

We have people on our critical care unit, a lot of them with alcohol caused problems. It costs around a £1000 a day to stay on our unit and thats before we do anything with them.... most of the days come to somewhere between 1400-1800 quid and there aren't many don't stop for a minimum of a couple of days. Some for months. So lets stop all of these eating our nhs resources as they brought it on theirselves....

Oooh Wendy you're gonna be a star!

 

[wannabeslimagain]

It is complete madness, there shoudl not be a postcode lottery in the end the whole of the UK is covered by the NHS so there should be one rule for everyone.
It annoys me when they ask if you have any associated co-morbitidies if you answer no its like oh right !! mmm .....what are they annoyed you decide to do something before you do, and if you do have them they are annoyed that you didnt do something before you did.

i totaly agree with what you say here, i was looking for help with my weight many years ago and was told no chance of surgery as not fat enough or have underlying problems years later I had many co morbidities and very fat and got told off by my doctor for getting in such a state, us larger people can't win can we.

 

[lamornamiss]

We have people on our critical care unit, a lot of them with alcohol caused problems. It costs around a £1000 a day to stay on our unit and thats before we do anything with them.... most of the days come to somewhere between 1400-1800 quid and there aren't many don't stop for a minimum of a couple of days. Some for months. So lets stop all of these eating our nhs resources as they brought it on theirselves....

Oooh Wendy you're gonna be a star!

I don't think so but then again it is the BBC

 

[katstofat]

it all makes me mad to how its ok to help other addictions but if your addicted to food you dont deserve help, also if you are a drug addict they give you methadone which gives you a kik like if you have had drugs and if you are an alcoholic you get uite a bit of money extra in bennefits every week to pay for it,but if you have a weight problem tough fatty its your own problem.ohhhhhhhhh sorry i get so angry................kath x