Smoker refused operation on broken ankle
Last Updated: 6:17am BST 14/09/2007
Telegraph of London
A smoker is facing years of pain after an NHS hospital refused to set his broken ankle unless he gives up cigarettes.
John Nuttall, 57, needs the operation to fix the ankle he broke in three places two years ago and which was not healed by a plaster cast. Doctors at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro have refused to operate to rebuild the ankle because they say Mr Nuttall's heavy smoking would reduce the chance of a full recovery. They have told him to give up smoking before they operate but the retired builder has been unable to break his habit. Mr Nuttall says he is in constant pain from the grating of the broken bones against each other and has been prescribed daily doses of morphine.
He refused surgery when he first injured the ankle in a fall in 2005 because he was worried about catching MRSA in hospital. When he went back a few weeks later and the ankle had not set he said he was told he would have to give up smoking before doctors could operate. Mr Nuttall, from Newlyn, west Cornwall, said: "I have begged them to operate but they won't. I have tried my hardest to give up smoking but I can't.
"I want to warn other smokers. We have paid our National Insurance stamps all our lives and now we are being shut out of the NHS." A spokesman for the hospital trust said: "Smoking has a very big influence on the outcome of this type of surgery and the healing process would be hindered significantly."
So, lets recap...
First, daily doses of morphine are preferable, according to the British health care system, than nicotine. Second, Why even have a health care system? If people can't get fixed, why even have hospitals and doctors. Just think of the money that would save. I know, next the British health care system can refuse any form of dentistry until people cease eating any form of sugar! Well, first we'd have to make Britain a sugar-free nation. You have a painful cavity? We're sorry, can't fill it until you cut out all forms of sugar. Healthcare utopia.
1 comment:
Everyone wants Universal Health Bigotry in their country. Bring him over here. We're evidently one of the few places where background habits and character don't bother people unless they're gov't medical employees.
We now have Islamonazis, Environazis and Mediconazis. This is in addition to Feminazis and Edunazis.
They're everywhere, they're everywhere.
My only question is, can we shoot yet?
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