Loose Women spark debate as Janet Street- Porter advocates for ‘points system’ for NHS

Janet Street-Porter sparked a debate today after advocating for a ‘Nectar-card style’ points system for the NHS as the Loose Women panel discussed if overweight people should have to pay for health treatments.   

The veteran journalist, 75, was joined by Ruth Langsford, Kelle Bryan and Frankie Bridge on the ITV show to discuss if unhealthy people should be denied NHS treatment after Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that 40 per cent of his department’s spending was on preventable illness and urged Brits to ‘take more responsibility for their families’ health’.    

While the panellists agreed that Brits need to do more to improve health, Janet split opinions after suggesting people should only be allowed a certain number of NHS treatments a year.

‘I can see where it’s coming from, but we’ve gone through two years of an unbelievable situation which has exacerbated mental health and physical health as it was hard to take exercise, you were cooped up at home for weeks on end,’ Janet said.

‘Having said all that, there’s no two ways about it, the country is bigger, fatter and unhealthier, even though the NHS is gonna get a large injection of cash, a lot of that will be swallowed up in bureaucracy, should it really be spent on people who don’t look after themselves better?

‘I’m in two minds about this, because the government has asked Sir Keith Mills to ask how we incentivise people to look after themselves better. He’s the guy that came up with the air miles and Nectar points scheme.

‘Maybe one way forward is to give us all a health passport, every year we got so many points like Nectar point or air miles or rewards and we can chose how to sell them. 

Kelle – who suffers from Lupus – said it was ‘unfair’ and that she’s ‘in the hospital all the time’ despite living a healthy lifestyle.

When chair Ruth replied: ‘What if you run out?’ Janet added:  ‘If you run out maybe you can’t get IVF, gastric band, there’s a lot of procedures the NHS don’t fund’.

Ruth replied: ‘I understand why 85 people think alcoholics should pay for their own treatment, but it’s a mental illness 

‘They already don’t perform surgery on people who are seriously overweight. If you’re really overweight, you have to wait longer for a hip on knee replacement. 

Janet, 75, was joined by Ruth Langsford, Kelle Bryan and Frankie Bridge on the ITV show to discuss if unhealthy people should be denied NHS treatment after Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that 40 per cent of his department’s spending was on preventable illness and urged Brits to ‘take more responsibility for their families’ health’

But Kelle – who suffers from Lupus – said it was ‘unfair’ and that she’s ‘in the hospital all the time’ despite living a healthy lifestyle.

‘In terms of incentives, what people forget it that people who are overweight, the incentive for them is “I don’t want to be overweight”,’ the former singer said. 

‘There the ones living in difficult situations, their lifestyles are being changed.

‘I’ve got someone close to me that has to live with those difficulties. But there are other factors. Lots of low income families haven’t had the education or exposure to difference in nutrition in facts and figures that can help raise them in a way that’s healthier. 

Viewers were split in their opinion, with one writing: ‘If ‘living unhealthily’ shouldn’t be treated by the NHS then neither should any sports injuries. All sports are “lifestyle choices”‘

‘If we take away everything from those low income families, and even those that aren’t low income but just not educated in terms of health and nutrition, we have to continue.

Frankie added: ‘I don’t understand why IVF is on there, infertility isn’t self-inflicted . How can you say to someone you’re not allowed a child?

‘Yes, get everyone to live healthier lifestyles, less stress on the NHS, simply said like that it make sense.

‘But when you dig into it, but where do you draw that line? It’s not just obese people that are slamming the NHS

Janet added: ‘They’ve tried offering obese people gym membership, vouchers for healthy food, it’s not worked, so a miss card’.

Viewers were split in their opinion, with one writing: ‘If ‘living unhealthily’ shouldn’t be treated by the NHS then neither should any sports injuries. All sports are “lifestyle choices”.

Another wrote: ‘Obesity isn’t just eating lots and not moving, mental health, genetics and medical conditions all contribute. As for restricting services you get, the NHS claim you get equal treatment but you don’t. My parents were offered less or none because of weight’.

A third added: ‘I am tired of hearing about obese people being the main reason for the strain in the NHS. It creates prejudice against a genuine disease. As a larger healthy woman who doesn’t drink, smoke or have children, I probably use less services than most’.

A fourth wrote: ‘It’s not up to the public, it’s up to the goverment to stop sending money to their mates and pay the NHS’.

Another said: ‘As a weight loss consultant, 99% of the time I find that it’s so much more than healthy eating, mental well-being is a huge factor. We need to stop judging weight issues and realise it can be a serious illness’.