Cell Blog H

Time not of the essence

Am I the only one to tire of the Lab-Con obsession with "schools 'n' hospitals". OK, both health and education are important, but they are not the only issues in the world.

Furthermore, certainly when it comes to hospitals, choice is hardly the issue when you're bleeding like a stuck pig because you've just put your hand through a window and want someone to do some running repairs. All you want is a casualty hospital nearby, which works with a modicum of efficency.

Last time I tried that game, it was a drive clear across town - luckily not in rush hour or I would have bled to death. They were reasonably efficient though - which is not what one could say for the outpatients later, when I attended for the check-up.

You turn up for an appointment at 10 am and find the waiting room crammed with what looks like 200 other people - all with 10 o' clock appointments. It was three o'clock in the afternoon before I got to see a doctor, who took less than two minutes to discharge me.

That is another delightful characteristic of state "services". Your time is of absolutely no value. You are just supposed to be grateful that you get a service at all.

posted by Richard @ 10:02 pm