Medics Caught on Tape Decided Disabled Man Not Worth Saving

[308Mike]

Linkarooni

Medics Caught on Tape Allegedly Decided Disabled Man Not Worth Saving

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Two EMT workers in Britain were arrested after they were heard allegedly discussing whether they should bother to resuscitate a disabled man who had collapsed at home and subsequently died.

Barry Baker, 59, who lived alone, dialed 911 saying that he thought he was having a heart attack. An ambulance was sent to his house while a controller kept him talking on the line.

By the time the ambulance arrived at the house in Patcham, Brighton, Baker had collapsed, but the telephone line was still open and was being recorded.

It is alleged that staff in the control center heard the two medics making disparaging comments about the state of the house.

A police source, who asked not to be named, said that the medics were then heard discussing Baker and saying “words to the effect that he was not worth saving."

More of this story..............

And Click here to read more on this story from the Times of London.

[Erik]

Oh, the joy of "free" national healthcare.

Things like this happens quite a lot, I'm sure. Since the patient doesn't pay for his own care (directly anyway) his/hers care is only an expense for the system. So the system keeps coming up with new ways to cut expenses. I've heard of retired people being denied hip surgery, because "they don't need to walk anymore since they dont work". I've heard eye surgery denied to elderly because "it's too expensive, considering how few more years they will alive". I have myself seen people on crutches being denied care because "your foot is fine, quit complaining". And that's the open and public stories, that noone even tries to deny.

I'm pretty sure things like this story is a lot more common than they admit. Once you turn people into expenses unrelated to the payer, it's easy for this kind of thing to start happening.
And if anyone should object to the quality of the care, they are just told that "it's free, you have no right to complain, just be grateful."

No wonder that lots of people that can afford it (after paying huge taxes for "free healthcare") also pays for a private healthinsurance, so they know they will get care.

[Jered]

And I bet they don't even get a letter of reprimand.

I think it's telling that when NHS employees in (formerly) Great Britain need health care in a hurry, they go to a private contractor.