BLACK WOMAN 'OFFERED WHITE LIMBS AFTER AMPUTATION OP'I guess a white artificial foot would have looked too unnatural, huh? Good grief, how many should they stock? IMO she certainly ought not expect any better unless she's spending her own money, and she lives under socialized medicine.
Sun Aug 24 2003 19:55:50 ET
A black woman who is to undergo a foot amputation was initially offered a white artificial replacement because they were cheaper, a hospital admitted tonight.
The unnamed woman from Calcot near Reading, Berkshire, is yet to undergo the operation and health chiefs have now backed down and offered her prosthetics matching her own skin colour after she complained.
The Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust said only white artificial limbs had been initially made available.
A Trust spokeswoman said: "She was originally told she would have to pay more for any other colour, but that has now been resolved."
She said the complication of having no less than six separate NHS Primary Care Trusts in the county had made funding difficult, but said following discussions, money had been made available.
"We accept responsibility for this patient's care and for the provision of her prosthetics. We will be working together with the Primary Health Care Trusts to address this issue and to clarify funding for future cases."
A spokesperson for the Disability Rights Commission said tonight: "It is an absolute disgrace that the NHS hasn't made suitable provision for a black disabled person. Disabled people shouldn't have to put up with a one size fits all attitude.
"In this day and age they should be entitled to the same choices as non disabled people in the services they receive."
I guess these guys are in trouble too. It looks like they only have one shade of falsie. Paging Jesse Jackson...
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