12 Nov Paying people to be healthy…….really!
Interesting debate on at the moment with the NHS considering giving breast feeding mothers £200 worth of shopping vouchers as an incentive. There is little doubt that breast feeding is hugely advantageous, and that the numbers of new mums in the UK that do, is horrendously low compared with the rest of Europe.
Morally, I believe this is a very difficult argument. On the one hand why should other Mums who are voluntarily breast feeding, in effect be expected to do so for free. On the other hand, how quickly might that £200 be swallowed up in Health Care provision for a child who gets sick that “might” not have done so with breast milk. Be fascinated to see which shops will be involved in the project, I would expect Boots to be there and so wonder whether make-up and perfume will be allowed on the scheme!
Apparently, it will fall on Midwives and Health Visitors to verify whether the mum in question is actually breast feeding. Good luck with that!
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