The NHS will have no choice but to remove some free treatment currently available and to penalise unhealthy behaviour, Friends Provident believes.
A Friends Provident report, Visions of Britain 2020, condemns Government health campaigns as 'failing' and predicts similar legislation to the smoking ban will be imposed to curb obesity.
Dr Sarah Brewer, Visions of Britain 2020 expert consulted for the report, says; "Something has to give. One scenario is that people may well end up being charged for certain treatments or denied certain non-essential treatment, particularly if their unhealthy lifestyle was a contributory factor. The other scenario is the withdrawal of many free treatments."
Treatments expected to no longer be free include: IVF and fertility treatment; Subsidised dental treatment; Obesity surgery and drugs; Dementia treatment and Complementary therapies.
Commenting,Trevor Matthews, chief executive officer of Friends Provident, says: "There will be a fundamental and permanent change in the provision of free healthcare in the next decade. The study identifies a disconnect between our aspirations for healthcare, and our behaviour. We all need to adopt healthier lifestyles or else risk being faced with penalties in the years ahead."
Experts and consumers agree unhealthy lifestyles should be penalised when it comes to treatment, with almost half (44%) supporting the introduction of a 'fat tax' and over a third (38%) agreeing that that NHS should not prioritise people who fail to look after their health.
