How to allocate NHS resources

REGARDING the suggestion that those who are obese should not receive treatment on the NHS because its their own fault, (Barrie Frost, Yorkshire Post, March 3). Although perhaps intuitively attractive, it does not stand up to scrutiny.

If the NHS is to allocate heath care on the basis of “deservedness”, then to be consistent those of us who do not exercise regularly and then fall ill with a heart condition, or have an accident not having taking sufficient precautions, should not be treated either.

How to ration and allocate scarce NHS resources is a hugely important and difficult question; whatever methods are used, they must be both ethically defensible and practical to implement.

Water, water everywhere

From; Ken Holmes, Cliffe Common, Selby, York.

I LAUGHED my socks off at the scaremongers who are now warning us of a future world shortage of water. You would have to be mentally unbalanced to believe them. We are surrounded by the stuff.

Even “Ollie”, our uncatchable mule, is learning to swim in his four-acre paddock.

Me thinks that the wheels are being greased, to try to soften the blow for the water boards, who have announced a forthcoming rise in the water rates.

Human rights and wrongs

From: Richard Stroud, West Chevin Road, Otley.

WHAT a brilliant and perceptive writer Bill Carmichael is in highlighting the lack of human rights in many members of the so-called United Nations Human Rights Committee, and the fact Libya has been a part of this organisation only until last week (Yorkshire Post, February 4).

Weighing up

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

THE owner of the 13-ton bridge that was stolen last week from a yard in Selby, said that he would be upset if the police did not come across it!

I agree.