You've used excellent examples, both actual and hypothetical, to make your point. The job of medical personnel is to treat those in need, despite their moral failings or politically incorrect views. Anything less violates the Hippocratic Oath.
It also ignores the potential for learning. When Shirley Chisholm visited George Wallace in his hospital room after he was shot it brought tears to his eyes and he realized how wrong he had been. When Derek Black (Don Black of Stormfront's son) picked on a local black minister it brought no rebuttal and helped wake Derek to the realization of his family's errors. Long ago during the early days of AIDS I took care of a young man in an emergency setting. When I asked about his family and wife his response floored me, but only temporarily--"I am the wife." 'She still got the best care I could give.
I actually have quite a bit of respect for Wes Streeting, but this is baffling. I'm sure he'd enthusiastically agree if you suggested to him that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. Perhaps someone at the Department for Health could just take him into a quiet room and very gently point out how his new announcement violates that principle.
You’re ignorant if you don’t think this is already happening. I’m an ER psych nurse so my patients are a mix of homeless drug addicts faking symptoms for benefits, actual schizo/bipolar people off their meds, and kids/adults that sent an insincere text message about being suicidal. Plenty of these patients get angry and demand to leave, yell about getting food/opiates/benzos, or making sexual/racist comments to staff. They are refused everything but the most minimal care and often restrained & injected with sedatives against their will. Forced meds & restraints are permitted for combative, aggressive, or attempting to escape behavior. This is where the liberal staff play their games. Dude makes racist and sexual comments and gets restrained & sedated. The note states, “patient threatening violence, posturing at staff, combative, throwing objects at nurse.” Happens all the time.
But you are talking about the violence used against psychiatric patients (not only the ones who make sexist or racist comments), whereas Gerald Posner is discussing the idea of refusing medical care to patients who are perceived e.g. as racist. By the way, aren't many psychiatric patients forced to take psychiatric drugs even if they are not angry and aggressive?
Gerald I think we’ve entered the rabbit hole of controlling behavior with another arbitrary policy - using the ever more popular racism trope. This is applied by the medical industrial complex.
Very good commentary by the readers which I agree. Your article needs to be blasted to the government policy makers in which this is a very bad policy.
You've used excellent examples, both actual and hypothetical, to make your point. The job of medical personnel is to treat those in need, despite their moral failings or politically incorrect views. Anything less violates the Hippocratic Oath.
It also ignores the potential for learning. When Shirley Chisholm visited George Wallace in his hospital room after he was shot it brought tears to his eyes and he realized how wrong he had been. When Derek Black (Don Black of Stormfront's son) picked on a local black minister it brought no rebuttal and helped wake Derek to the realization of his family's errors. Long ago during the early days of AIDS I took care of a young man in an emergency setting. When I asked about his family and wife his response floored me, but only temporarily--"I am the wife." 'She still got the best care I could give.
This is the kind of dehumanization that leads to gas chambers
I don't know any doctors or nurses who would refuse to treat someone for this reason. Sad story.
So much for the motto “Do no harm…”
I actually have quite a bit of respect for Wes Streeting, but this is baffling. I'm sure he'd enthusiastically agree if you suggested to him that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege. Perhaps someone at the Department for Health could just take him into a quiet room and very gently point out how his new announcement violates that principle.
Thank you....and what on earth are they thinking????? It is indeed absolutely crazy.
Thank you Gerald for bringing this to light best regards Riley
Always great to read your thoughts on such complex subjects
You’re ignorant if you don’t think this is already happening. I’m an ER psych nurse so my patients are a mix of homeless drug addicts faking symptoms for benefits, actual schizo/bipolar people off their meds, and kids/adults that sent an insincere text message about being suicidal. Plenty of these patients get angry and demand to leave, yell about getting food/opiates/benzos, or making sexual/racist comments to staff. They are refused everything but the most minimal care and often restrained & injected with sedatives against their will. Forced meds & restraints are permitted for combative, aggressive, or attempting to escape behavior. This is where the liberal staff play their games. Dude makes racist and sexual comments and gets restrained & sedated. The note states, “patient threatening violence, posturing at staff, combative, throwing objects at nurse.” Happens all the time.
But you are talking about the violence used against psychiatric patients (not only the ones who make sexist or racist comments), whereas Gerald Posner is discussing the idea of refusing medical care to patients who are perceived e.g. as racist. By the way, aren't many psychiatric patients forced to take psychiatric drugs even if they are not angry and aggressive?
Gerald I think we’ve entered the rabbit hole of controlling behavior with another arbitrary policy - using the ever more popular racism trope. This is applied by the medical industrial complex.
Very good commentary by the readers which I agree. Your article needs to be blasted to the government policy makers in which this is a very bad policy.