[W660]Where Is The Money Going

We're all aware that the unexpected happens which is why we take out life insurance. We even take out serious illness cover with our life insurance. But there are many things that UK residents take for granted. One such thing being that if we fall ill, we expect the NHS to take care of us. Yes, there will be waiting lists - a morbid fact of life - but once we get there we generally expect good health care that will see us leaving hospital on the mend.

It seems for a large majority of people, particularly the elderly, this is just not the case. In fact, one in five people now leave hospital malnourished. Food being a basic staple that is certainly not in short supply in this country yet many sick and vulnerable people are left wanting.

Hospital food is notoriously unappetising, another of those life facts, but it should still reach certain standards. However, it would seem that there are not enough nurses, or they are too busy, to help feed the frail and elderly. Food is often left on a tray for them, just teasing them while they sit there and starve.

Life insurance covers serious illness but it doesn't cover a visit to hospital that will actually make matters worse. Hospital staff are failing to spot signs of malnutrition which is a common cause orconsequence of illness, especially in the elderly.

Malnutrition affects every organ of the body, increasing the risk of infection and slowing the recovery rate from any medical procedure. Statistics show that 162 pounds million worth of hospital meals were thrown away last year which seems like utter madness when so many patients are starving.

If the NHS can afford this wastage, surely they could employ a few more nurses to help with feeding? A person may not have an illness serious enough to warrant a life insurance claim when they are admitted to hospital but they could certainly meet the criteria when they leave!

When it comes to the NHS wasting money, you have to look at how they have tripled spending on the cost of Viagra to a whopping 58 pounds million in 2006. Granted, erectile dysfunction can be a miserable condition and detract from the enjoyment of life, but so does grotty hospital meals and malnutrition!

It is, however, non life threatening and of no cost whatsoever to life insurance companies. It can be an early sign of heart disease, with an apparent 50 - 75% of undetected heart disease sufferers living with this condition. Years ago, erectile dysfunction was one of those things people of a certain age or with a certain condition learnt to accept and live with. Would this 58 pounds million not be better spent on detecting heart disease itself?

Doctors are only supposed to prescribe Viagra to patients with certain conditions but it is a pricey business. With nearly two million men in the UK who have genuine medical reasons for erectile dysfunction, it would appear that only 10% of this total will actually seek help. If this 10% cost 58 pounds million, then thank goodness they don't all do it.

Figures show this is a worthwhile condition to fund because the problem can contribute to 20% of relationship break ups. While the happiness of the nation is important, is it really worth spending this sort of money on a non-life threatening condition when so many NHS patients are starving?