How the NHS places a value on life

[Kingetter]

What is an extra year of life worth?


For many people it is an impossible question to answer, especially if they are dying of cancer.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5271032.stm

[theone]

It's a bit taboo.

In all fairness I suppose it has to be done though? How much can an underfunded government service spend on prolonging life?

My thoughts are if the treatment is capable of preventing death, or curing the problem with a reasonable degree of success it should be administered.

If it's just prolonging the life of an incurable patient where do we draw the line?

Can of worms here I think.

[Kingetter]

Is there actually a way of putting a price on human life when wars are fought in the knowledge that people will die?
Not enough money for medicine, for pensions, but always enough for the big buck getters who run the NHS or was that misrun.

[mccaugm]

What about dying with dignity?

I watched the Emmerdale episode where Sam helped his wife die with dignity.

Its a very emotive subject.

[Lolabelle]

Such a difficult subject. Dave and I have a deal that if either of us are in a situation where we have no quality of life and do not want to go on the other will not do anything or give permission to prolong life. But if you are in that situation really, who knows?

[scorrie]

For the family of the person suffering no price can be too high, however I often wonder if the sufferers themselves feel the same way. I know that I would not want to carry on if there were no hope of returning to a meaningful quality of life.

The human being is a curious creature, we would not let an animal suffer in ill health yet we clutch at the thinnest of straws when it comes to our family.

When looking at the bigger picture we have to realise that budgets are limited and could you honestly say that £30,000, or whatever figure, should be spent prolonging the life of an older person with diminishing quality of life, when, perhaps, the same money could cure a child completely of cancer?

Looking at the bigger world picture, how many lives could £30,000 save from certain death in the developing world, where the simple requirement for clean water condemns many to an early death?

It is a very difficult subject, where opinions will vary but it is certain that large drug companies are making billions in profit.

[golach]

Not enough money for medicine, for pensions, but always enough for the big buck getters who run the NHS or was that misrun.
I agree Kingetter, but and there always is a but, what do you suggest the Government or who ever is going to end up paying for all the above services do?

[Kingetter]

I suppose there's not just one place to start on that problem though currently I'm thinking about waste.
How much money I wonder is spent on 'meetings about meetings' by the administrators?
I have to attend Caithness General periodically for treatment. I am amazed at the number of hospital/nhs vehicles - loads of 'white vans' sat idle and I'm not talking ambulances.
Money spent bringing in Doctors et al from the Continent to cover for shortage of 'local' medical staff.

I'm sure there's much more but the above would be somewhere to start.

[Countryman]

Funding or underfunding thank god I live in the UK - I receive regular treatment - if I lived in USA I would be broke and probally out of it by now.
Yes there is waste but I feel that we have one of the best health systems in the world.

[Countryman]

Money spent bringing in Doctors et al from the Continent to cover for shortage of 'local' medical staff.



So what is your answer to Doctors from abroad

[Kingetter]

So what is your answer to Doctors from abroad

Do we not need to examine why we bring them in first?