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Here we go (sooner rather than later) again.

(80 Posts)
Granny23 Thu 07-Jun-18 14:53:19

Tory MP David Davies suggests the NHS shouldn’t fund life-extending drugs for elderly

Conservative MP for Monmouth David Davies has questioned whether the NHS should fund vital life-extending drugs for the elderly.

David Davies, a prominent Brexit backer and chair of the Welsh Affairs select committee, said he isn’t sure the “enormous expense” to keep older people alive is justifiable.

The controversial comments came after a poll found that 82 per cent of voters support a 1p rise in National Insurance to fund the NHS.

Is it justifiable?
Mr Davies, 47, told talkRADIO host Julia Hartley-Brewer: “There are drugs out there that will keep people alive for a few months longer, maybe being delivered at the end of what might have been a long and productive life at enormous expense.

“And I think we need an honest debate about the cost of some of these drugs because I’d like to see people in their – young people of course getting access to this – but I’m not sure how justifiable it is.

“And this is difficult to say, when somebody is in their 80s, and they’re at the end of what’s been a long and happy life, to try and keep somebody alive for an extra couple of months at a cost that that could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds is something we need to be talking about.”

Asked if he supports the National Insurance rise – which is backed by 81 per cent of Tory voters and 86 per cent of Labour voters – he called for the money to be “spent on better healthcare for people and not just thrown away on pay rises, new buildings and all the rest of it.”

No comment from me - I'm speechless......

grannybuy Sat 09-Jun-18 23:38:16

I agree with the poster who mentioned getting paracetamol on prescription, but it happened to DH by default. He was attending a mental hospital day assessment unit two days a week and I had to give him his medication with him daily, amongst which was his paracetamol and ibuprofen, which I bought cheaply, as we do. I got a call from a staff member asking me to get the painkillers prescribed by our GP, as they couldn't give him anything that wasn't prescribed - despite the fact that there were doctors on the spot who could have authorised them there and then. That's protocol!

Gma29 Sun 10-Jun-18 08:50:08

I can remember working in a big city hospital in 2000 and one of the things we were always chronically short of was pillows, to the point that if a patient was transferred in or out you had to watch that the pillows weren’t ‘relocated’ with the patient. At about the same time, a Communications Director was appointed on a salary of £70,000, (over 4 times a qualified nurses’ wage). I appreciate this was a while ago, but I doubt the system has changed all that much.

Granny23 Sun 10-Jun-18 11:29:04

Grannybuy DH who has Dementia attends Day Care once a week. Thankfully he takes his medication early morning and at bed time, so no problem there. BUT.... He also has intermittent pain in his elbow and knee. At home he has a Paracetamol for this when needed, but cannot have one at Day Care as no one there is medically qualified.

DH has twice been in Respite Care for short periods. The protocol there is that he must take a copy of his prescription and a full, unopened, in date, packet of each pill (he takes 4 different ones daily). Complicated enough, but when you factor in that the Pharmacy/Doctor's Practice will not issue a new prescription/supply until there is only a week to run on the old one, you have a problem, only solved by discussion between the Pharmacist and Practice Manager.

Conversely, in respite care, there are medically qualified staff, who can give paracetamol, eye and ear drops, etc. as necessary. Confused?? I am, and wondering how an unsupported patient is supposed to cope with these difficulties.

Millbrook Mon 11-Jun-18 21:19:47

Sadly, Jalima1108, even his campaigning for cancer drugs is mostly based on wanting to get publicity for himself, and attacking the Labour Govt in Wales. He's forever making outrageous statements that play fast and loose with the truth, so it's quite ironic that he now says he was 'misquoted'!
Someone else on here mentioned the £77k salary that MPS get. Hard to believe that he's worthy of that ( plus he employs his Hungarian wife - although he's a staunch anti immigration Brexiteer of course! - as part of his staff, from his generous expenses allowance). There are some decent MPs out there who are trying to do their best for their constituents - I'm afraid this one is just in it for himself....