David's Daily Diversions

The Queue for the Queue

I am on an NHS waiting list. But then again, I'm not.

One of my earliest blog entries had to do with waiting on the National Health Service. The Government now says that waiting lists are at their shortest since Labour came to power. What the Government hasn't been emphasising is that the waiting list targets are for treatment.

Like my experience in 2002-2003, I am on a waiting list for diagnosis. These don't seem to matter. I waited ten months then to try to determine why I had to be hospitalised with a bowel attack. Now I have a small growth on my face. The GP was immediately concerned when she saw it, but even though I heard her dictating the letter as I left her office, it will be up to 17 weeks before I can see a specialist. That's four months.

To make themselves look good, the Government have created a queue to get in the queue. By limiting the number of people who can get in the treatment queue, they can manipulate the figures to make themselves look good. It may cost a few - or maybe more than a few - lives, but it will keep Tony and his cronies in power. As long as this spot doesn't turn (or hasn't turned already) into cancer, I should be okay.