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    VP of Marketing & Communications for Rackup, but nothing here reflects what my employer or colleagues think. In fact, they probably think it's all cray-cray.

    Jackie Danicki

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NHS efficiency and accuracy at work

Posted on October 23rd, 2006 by Jackie Danicki



Three letters in one day

Originally uploaded by dynamist.


It seems like only yesterday that I was in NHS appointment hell, but actually it was 20 days ago. (I’ve had to make five other appointments since then, but the processes for those weren’t nearly as tortured.)

So today, I received three envelopes from the Royal Free Hospital. Each one contains the same exact letter as the others, which were all produced on the same exact date and contain the same exact information. Except the date and time of the appointment made 20 days ago (already confirmed by a previous letter two weeks ago) have suddently shifted by six days and some hours, though the letters make no mention of this.

It’s a good thing I’m freelance, because there’s no way any employer would put up with me spending THIS MUCH TIME during business hours on the phone with the NHS.

Filed under: Life

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8 Responses to “NHS efficiency and accuracy at work”

  1. Michael Jennings, on October 23rd, 2006 at 5:40 pm Said:

    In Britain I generally go without medical treatment. Going to the doctor and dentist is something I do when I visit Australia.

    This is quite foolish of me, but the NHS is something I just can’t deal with.

  2. Jackie Danicki, on October 23rd, 2006 at 6:26 pm Said:

    Michael, this is exactly why I have avoided the doctor as much as possible over the last few years - I’ve been more in the last month than I have in all my years in Britain. (I go private where it really is important and/or urgent - like dental - but otherwise figure I may as well get SOME value out of the NHS, since I pay for it regardless of whether I use it or not.)

  3. Franziska, on October 24th, 2006 at 3:59 pm Said:

    I know in Germany you can opt out of the NHS, is this something you can do here too? I personally don’t think very highly of an institution that wastes my money on not only sending out three letters to the same person in three envelopes but also by employing somebody who doesn’t pick up on these things!

  4. Jackie Danicki, on October 24th, 2006 at 4:30 pm Said:

    I wish it was possible to opt out of the NHS, but sadly it is not.

  5. Squander Two, on October 24th, 2006 at 11:35 pm Said:

    Franziska,

    It’s important to realise that you don’t have an NHS in Germany; you merely have state-funded healthcare. That’s not what the NHS is. The NHS is a Soviet-style centralised command economy. That’s what’s wrong with it.

    I personally support state funding of healthcare but want to see the NHS destroyed.

  6. Franziska, on October 25th, 2006 at 9:48 am Said:

    Squander Two,

    But who funds the state?!?

  7. Michael Jennings, on October 25th, 2006 at 10:43 am Said:

    Yes, Australian healthcare is like that too. the government pays most of the cost, but it is (largely) privately provided. Doctors and other health providers are running businesses, and have most of the normal incentives, and the system pretty much works. If I show up at the surgery of any GP in the country needing to see a doctor, then if it is urgent the doctor will almost certainly see me that day. In Britain, I have bizarre conversations in which the doctor won’t see me because I live in E1 rather than E2, and in any event he wouldn’t be able to fit me in until two weeks Thursday even if I did live in E2. If I need to see a specialist I will likely be able to do so within a couple of weeks. In Britain I will probably die first.

  8. Jackie Danicki » Another chat with the NHS, on November 17th, 2006 at 8:09 pm Said:

    […] ME: I need to clarify the date of my appointment with Dr X. I’ve had four letters - three on the same day - stating two different dates. […]