Smokers to be Denied Surgery in the UK

Smokers in the United Kingdom (UK) will be denied surgery in order to slash health care costs and reduce recovery time and surgical complications, according to a British national antismoking organization.

The Action on Smoking and Health (ASH; London, United Kingdom) reported that the new restrictions are set to begin in the summer of 2007, initially under the Leicester City Primary Care Trust (UK), but the requirements are expected to spread quickly throughout the United Kingdom. Under the new rules, smokers are to be denied operations under the Health Service unless they give up cigarettes for at least four weeks beforehand, and doctors will require patients to take a blood test for nicotine residue to prove they have not been smoking.

"Smoking not only causes many very serious and very expensive diseases, but also exacerbates many existing medical problems and complicates recovery from virtually all operations,” said Prof. John Banzhaf, executive director of ASH. "Thus, a smoker who suffers a broken leg while skiing--a condition obviously not caused by his smoking--is much more likely to suffer respiratory complications and/or infections as a result of the surgery, and to take far longer to heal.”

Medical research has shown that smokers take far longer, on the average, to recover from operations, and are far more likely to suffer serious medical complications. This not only greatly increases the cost of providing surgery to smokers, but also ties up beds and hospital facilities urgently needed by other patients.


Related Links:
Action on Smoking and Health
Leicester City Primary Care Trust