The Royal College of Physicians has lashed out at the NHS, saying its policy to fund bariatric (gastric bands or bypass) surgery is “inconsistent and unethical”.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!
NICE guidelines suggest that anyone with a body mass index over 40 is sufficiently at risk from related health complications to warrant referral for this type of stomach surgery.
Only problem is that primary care trusts are moving the goal posts and only 2% of surgeries are actually taking place. Apparently they have to balance the conflicting concerns of a limited budget and competing ailments … which means that only the “extremely ill” are getting referred.
Couldn’t see that one coming!
It’s been a long time since something has stirred up such a reaction in me. Let me attempt to explain why.
First, bariatric surgery is a lot like closing the door after the horse has long since bolted.
But we live in a culture that gives way too much credibility to twisted medical logic. We are brainwashed into believing that the only “solution” to obesity is either drugs or diet … poison, or deprivation!
What do either have to do with “healthy consumption”?
Then when people succumb even further to their addiction, they are told they need drastic surgery to save their lives, or at least improve the quality of their lives!
Highly qualified medical experts sit there and tell us that we are living longer and getting fatter and so demand for their services is growing and we should embrace this, not resist it.
And gastric surgery doesn’t come cheap, running anywhere from 6,000 pounds to over 10,000 pounds!
Not one of these “authorities” suggest that the real solution to the problem should be happening a long time before people eat themselves to a BMI of 40!
Their hands are tied. They can only deal with the sad reality. What’s a poor surgeon to do?
We hang on their every word. Our culture embraces their wisdom. Our entire health care system (including people working in the fitness industry) is set up to bring them customers.
All justified by the mitigation of reasonable risk, which of course is hard to argue against, especially for the unqualified masses.
And no-one seems to see anything wrong with what’s happening!
In fact, when they nod their heads sagely and point to “new UK research” that suggests responsibility for 75% of the problem can be attributed to our genes, we actually buy this stuff … hook, line and sinker.
“I knew it … it’s not my fault! I am absolved and now someone else can fund me out of this self-imposed nightmare”.
In spite of the fact that someone has died from complications arising from this type of surgery!
“You can’t possibly appreciate just what a burden this is to me”.
People are getting sicker because we’re eating too much of the wrong stuff. The “victims” (there’s no shortage of these) feel that if the fallout from other lifestyle choices like smoking, alcohol and drug addiction can be funded by the NHS, then why not food addiction?
Funnily enough, I actually see no flaw in this logic.
In fact, food addiction is perhaps even more insidious because you cannot quit eating “cold turkey”, so you have no choice but to exercise restraint and apply intelligence.
Only problem is the “intelligence” is not coming from the “intelligent”!
That’s why we think that sugery, drugs and dieting are the only solutions.
Because we’re told they are! That’s why bogus diets are one of the biggest industries known to mankind … and why any doctor or individual with a few letters after their name can write a book about controlled deprivation and make millions.
We let them. Atkins, et al. What did we learn from them? That carbohydrate restriction doesn’t work?
That’s precisely my point. We learn nothing!
And that’s precisely why we will not solve the problem by continuing to embrace this neanderthal mentality. In our headlong, phobia-based rush to rout out “quacks”, we have succeeded in creating a good old boys club that writes its own pay cheques with absolute impunity.
In a culture that hangs on its every word out of nothing but insecurity.
Because, quite frankly, that’s the best we got!
And these “economic geniuses’ (sorry, did I say that?) have succeeded in turning “health” into “medical”.
Don’t believe me?
Google anything with “health” in your search query. Do you see stuff about drinking clean water and eating more fruit and vegetables?
Occasionally.
But ninety nine times out of ten (settle down boys, deliberate error), you’ll see either someone trying to hock supplements, or information about ailments and disease.
We have succeeded in making “health” entirely about managing a “lack of health”.
What a beautiful business model!
All based on fear and desperation … and the knowledge that people will pay just about anything for relief, but can be counted upon to ignore all the signs, even as they court their addictions like a drunken teenager hoping to get lucky.
Now all we have to do is battle amongst ourselves to see which of us get the lion’s share of the NHS pie.
Oh … and keep trotting out important-sounding stuff about “evidence-based” research, so that the average working schill will continue to fund the gravy train and not ask too many awkward questions.
Bariatric surgery … 35 compensation claims in the UK since 2003.
21 in the last two years alone!
1 death.
When will someone wake up and realize that our most capable resources should be channeled into prevention rather than another highly profitable cure?
My guess?
No time soon.
