Simon Clark at Taking Liberties has been expanding on a Radio 4 appearance (or hearance?) today. The hour long programme on Julian Worricker's show can be found here.
One of the guests was Julian LeGrand, former health adviser to the Blair administration. He not only pissed on the chips of those who believe that an inclusive health care system should charge for those who enjoy 'unhealthy' lifestyles, he also laid to rest the myth that smokers, drinkers and the obese are actually costing us more than the 'healthy'. In fact, he seems to be banging the same drum as me. It's the opposite.
Let's just re-iterate what LeGrand said:
"It is true that, on the whole, healthy people cost the National Health Service, and indeed the pensions sector, rather more than unhealthy people."
Hallelujah! At last someone admits to what we all knew anyway. It's been whispered occasionally but never by someone with such connections.
Next time you read some Department of Health numpty, or charity, fake or otherwise, banging on about how much your choice of lifestyle costs the NHS, quote LeGrand. The MP3 file has plenty of bandwidth so knock yourselves out.
8 comments:
Did I hear that right? Did he actually say that healthy people cost the NHS more than unhealthy people? I need to sober up, cos I thought I heard Julien de fuckface say that healthy people cost more than unhealthy people on the NHS?
Is the same man that said that smokers should get a certificate to buy tobacco products from their local supermarket, like a fucking junkie who needs his fix, is this the same Julien le Grande?
Of course I'm gonna hang on to this arsewipes every word...not!
Julian LeGrand(The other side)
Julian LeGrand, former Senior Policy Adviser to Tony Blair and one of the principal architects of the UK Government’s current public service reforms, then outlined his vision of 'new paternalism', arguing that the state should intervene in individuals' autonomy to protect them from the consequences of their own decisions.
The Ferryman
The Ministry of State Propaganda have also been caught out:-
http://www.pr-inside.com/bbc-accused-of-gross-exaggeration-in-shisha-worse-than-cigarettes-story-r1453218.htm
They contradict themselves at every turn.
Well, I'll believe it! I'll also believe this.
To be fair to LeGrand he did admit, in a conversation with Simon Clark on R5live, that he thought the risk posed by passive smoking was negligible and that the ban was brought in an attempt to stop active smoking. I don't agree with paternalism, but he says what he believes to be true and understands the statistics. A true health nazi would maintain that smokers cost the NHS billions each year. I'm pleased that the BBC has receive a heavy duty complaint about the shisha article. I posted a comment below it, but generally, comments critical of BBC health articles don't get published - they tend to show that the articles have been copied from press releases.
I only mug healthy people for this very reason. I like to think of myself as a latter day Robin Hood. But without the tights. Batman never returned them the bastard..
Excellent find!
You'll be the first health minister to encourage people to do whatever makes them happy on the basis that not only does it make them happy, it saves the taxpayer money. Which makes the taxpayer happy.
What's not to like?
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