§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is their policy in assessing priority for treatment within the National Health Service that account should be taken of the lifestyles of individuals.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)The National Health Service provides equal access to care for all, on the basis of clinical need.
Assessing the priority for treatment of individual patients is the responsibility of the clinician responsible for their care. In making these judgments, doctors take account of a wide range of clinical factors, such as age, weight, family history and lifestyle, while having regard to the resources available.