People who want access to the NHS should behave more responsibly, says expert

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Public release date: 9-Dec-2008

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/du-pww120908.php

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Durham University

People who want access to the NHS should behave more responsibly, says

expert

Patients should recognise they have to take responsibility for their own

health if they want access to free healthcare, says a leading academic.

Durham University's Martyn makes the comments as the Healthcare

Commission publishes its 'State of Healthcare' annual report (10 December).

Professor argues that patients should comply with ten moral

duties, which require them to look after themselves and others around

them, and to use the NHS in a responsible way.

People who neglect their health and the health of others around them, or

who misuse the healthcare available to them are draining the NHS scarce

resources, says the researcher.

Professor , from Durham University's School of Medicine and Health,

says:

" Widespread behaviour that is adverse to health and to the effectiveness

of the NHS, such as binge drinking and missing GP appointments, is on

the increase. There is clearly a need to state more clearly the

responsibilities patients have to secure the future of the free public

healthcare system.

" Right now, far too many people suppose that only doctors have duties,

and that only patients have rights. "

Professor , who has published an academic paper on patient duties,

suggests individual patients should cooperate more fully with medical

advice and treatment, be courteous to NHS staff, and follow health

promotion guidelines.

Professor explains: " I believe the duties I propose would make the

healthcare system work more effectively for the individual patient,

could speed up recovery, and overall would increase the availability of

the healthcare resources for other patients. These duties are the

reasonable 'price' of accessing scarce NHS resources that are held for

the common good.

" They could not of course be enforced and perhaps they should not all

be, even if they could. However, recognising them would contribute to a

vitally important 'culture shift' in the expectations that people have

of the NHS. "

In his paper, Professor outlines ten moral duties. They recommend

patients promote their own health both before and after illness, access

healthcare in a responsible and truthful way, and in certain specific

circumstances, take part in medical research.

Professor comments: " The fact that falling ill is largely beyond

the patient's control, and the fact that most people have no choice but

to rely on publicly funded healthcare from the NHS, all give added

strength to the argument. They emphasise our common need for the same

scarce resources, and our shared responsibility to make sure those

resources are used most effectively, to the benefit of all of us. "

The ten moral duties

1. Duty to participate in a 'healthcare jurisdiction'

2. Duty to uphold his or her own health

3. Duty to protect the health of others

4. Duty to seek and access healthcare responsibly

5. Duty of truthfulness

6. Duty of compliance

7. Duty of inpatient conduct

8. Duty of recovery or maintenance

9. Duty of research participation

10. Duty of citizenship

###

Professor is a leading academic in medical humanities and a

longstanding commentator on medicine.

--

ne Holden, MS, RD

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

" Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease "

" Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy "

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