New Year, NHS rationing, should drunks be charged for admissions?

Mr_Mumble

Why is it when I watch American TV the drunks end up in prison but on British they end up in hospital?

Big difference between those who've been out on the slosh that night and those with long-term alcoholic-related diseases. The latter are a money saving entity for the NHS - most will die relatively early and so cost less than healthy individuals who'll need nursing care in their 90s. The folk who're getting drunk for the entertainment are costly to the average taxpayer but that's a side-effect of offering a 'free' at the point-of-use service.

vivatifosi

JonnyBravo wrote: »

In theory a great idea.

In practice a stupid idea. The cost of collection would far outweigh the amount actually collected. The usual red tape would mean a dept of 300 people would be needed and at the end of year one they would have collected 3000 fines.

That's my worry. But hospitals are already charging people for car injury related entry to A&E, so is it that much of an extension? Heaven help us though if central government gets involved and designs a database though..

vivatifosi

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

What level of blood alcohol level do you suggest we use as the mark for charging?

Equating to what? One or Two pints?

Getting totally sh1tfaced and ending up in casualty...

Pennywise

If the police enforced the existing laws, the problem would virtually go away. How about the police arresting and prosecuting for drunk & disorderly and drunk & incapable - both very old laws which seem to have been abandoned. Instead we have the police actively laughing and joking with people who are clearly drunk - that doesn't give the right impression - it says that even though it's illegal to be incapable or disorderly in public, thats OK, we'll all just have a laugh about it. Come on police and CPS, enforce the laws we already have!

smckay

vivatifosi wrote: »

Getting totally sh1tfaced and ending up in casualty...

for me that is 2 pints! :beer:

Jomo

I believe people should be responsible for themselves when it comes to things like this, if we had to insure ourselves for any medical treatment required 'alcohol related' in any way then no doubt we'd think twice.

jojo1964

Pennywise wrote: »

If the police enforced the existing laws, the problem would virtually go away. How about the police arresting and prosecuting for drunk & disorderly and drunk & incapable - both very old laws which seem to have been abandoned. Instead we have the police actively laughing and joking with people who are clearly drunk - that doesn't give the right impression - it says that even though it's illegal to be incapable or disorderly in public, thats OK, we'll all just have a laugh about it. Come on police and CPS, enforce the laws we already have!

We have laws against burglary, murder, drink driving etc, but these offences still happen, thats why we have a police force, and the % of people injured or ill through drinking is small in comparison to those who drink responsibly, now how about stopping treatments such as IVF, or hymen repairs, and let the NHS concentrate on treating genuine illness and injury.

JonnyBravo

vivatifosi wrote: »

That's my worry. But hospitals are already charging people for car injury related entry to A&E, so is it that much of an extension? Heaven help us though if central government gets involved and designs a database though..

Are they?

I was unaware. If they are, presumably they are claiming from an insurance company?
Slightly different to the !!!!less doleites who spend all their spare income on fags, booze and sky. The courts can't even get them to pay up their fines let alone a hospital.

(Yes I know I'm generalising but you get the picture)

1984ReturnsForReal_2

vivatifosi wrote: »

Getting totally sh1tfaced and ending up in casualty...

Ah. Sh1tfaced....

As opposed to the middleclass woman who has a bottle of wine, stumbles out in front of a car & causes 3 people to end up in hospital with multiple fractures.

But thats just a nice kind of p1ssed...

treliac

Agree with the problem and cost of getting offenders to pay up.

But see what trouble hospitals are getting into. It's only going to get worse.......

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8435902.stm