Reinforcements needed - Supersized (and STRONG) ambulance service

‘Fit and abnormally strong’ are the latest additions to the job spec of the UK ambulance service. Not only so they can respond quickly and tend to the deteriorating health of the nation…. but so they can also transport the obese to hospital. And they WILL need to be taken to hospital…..

I was bemused, if a little concerned this week to hear that the ambulance service have revamped their fleets with heavy duty wheels chairs, stretchers and lifting cushions to transport the ‘larger’ patient to and from hospital. What a sad and somewhat wasteful reflection on the state of the nation’s health and fitness.

Bariatric ambulances have even been introduced into some regions, costing us, the tax payer up to £90,000 a time! And it seems there will need to be more in the pot where that came from - figures point to a 30% increase in hospital admissions for obesity and a 40% increase in bariatric surgery over the last few years.

Surely money would be better spent in prevention as opposed to accommodation?

Treatment and SOLUTIONS versus infrastructure adjustments. Whatever next – larger plane seats, train seats, theatres seats, changing rooms, school desks…? I could go on….

With 24 percent of men and 25 percent of women in the UK now obese, we can’t ignore the problem, but is changing our entire infrastructure really the best solution? Money well spent?

Smoking and alcohol abuse sit alongside obesity as a major cause of disease but we have a smoking ban installed … we have put taxes on alcohol consumption….. THIS is support towards positive behavioural change…. And its working.

Support is key to tackling the obesity problem and our industry is at the forefront of delivering it. The problem is not obesity. The problem is the CAUSE of obesity. I am talking about a lack of physical activity and poor diet. We HAVE to get more people moving and eating better.

We mustn’t sit back and accept the problem…. And we’re not. We are doing great things working with the medical professional through the Joint Consultative Forum, the Government through Change4Life, industry through the Responsibility deal. We have to work together.

Medicine is not the answer. Surgery is not the answer. The solution is at the very heart of our industry. Exercise, diet - energy in and energy out. Support and customer care.

How can we make our offering more appealing to the obese or overweight? Physical activity for all…

The supersized footprint has to stop here.