Gb, 'bribes' to push careless doctors
Rome, 2 Oct. (Adnkronos Salute) – A 'bribe' of just 20 pounds or a discount voucher of the same amount to buy, for example, a mobile phone. It is pocketed by citizens who are little or not at all attentive to their health, as an incentive to visit the family doctor and to peep more often in the study of their white coat. The GB proposal, which has raised a wave of controversy, aims to reduce the costs of the British health service (NHS) in the years to come, by reducing as much as possible the cases of diabetes, heart disease and weight problems among citizens of the United Kingdom. There is no shortage of critics, especially among those who point out that the measure would amount to a sort of corruption of patients at a time when there is a lack of money even to guarantee potentially life-saving drugs to cancer patients. Health Minister GB Alan Johnson argues for the need to do more to combat inequality, especially by intervening in favor of those who live in disadvantaged areas of the country. The proposal is contained in a report to be discussed this week by the board of pioneering North East Essex Primary Care, pioneering the initiative. If it turns out to be successful, it could soon be adopted throughout the country
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