NHS OP – Not If You’re Fat Or Smoke!

Fat people have been banned from having NHS operations in a county unless they diet – and smokers are being spurned unless they quit.

The blitz in Devon – described as temporary while hospitals there battle to save £14.5million – was last night slammed by  patient’s groups.

Other cost-cutting includes rationing hip, shoulder and eye surgery – and only providing one hearing aid instead of two. Local health officials said obese people were being targeted because they were prone to complications from surgery – making it more expensive. Those with a body mass index of 35 will have to shed 5 per cent to get their ops.

Smokers can only get routine surgery after two months without cigarettes.

Life saving operations are not affected. But Healthwatch warned: “This is a slippery slope. The NHS in Devon is giving the impression it is restricting treatment to patients  who have contributed to their own ill health.”

Stop breathing and you’ll get all the treatment you need !!