Health Targets a Blunt Instrument
10/07/2014

This morning on Radio 4’s Today programme, Clare Marx, the new President of the Royal College of Surgeons has argued for a review of the NHS 18 week GP referral to treatment target. She called the target a blunt instrument.
I didn’t think I would ever argue this, but I like it because it is a blunt instrument.
The 18 week target has been round a long time, since the government before last. People know what it is and what it means. Is it perfect? No it isn’t and Clare Marx is absolutely right in saying that for many complaints it is too long.
But I look at it the other way. I saw this as a line in the sand that stopped waiting lists growing forever. It is a minimum standard that has to be achieved. It is fine to say that some complaints can wait, but in reality I know cases where the 18 week target was breached and then the patient has found out that the complaint has become in operable because it was seen as minor without proper investigation and diagnosis.
Yes we need to reduce waiting time for many treatments and we should do this. But the 18 week target is so useful for me because it is blunt, people know about it, it has been around a long time and it creates a back stop. I think we remove it at our peril.
Mike Bourne
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
How do I cite…. items with multiple authors in APA7?
This post follows on from our post on using 'et al' in citations but has a slightly different focus - do read them both! As you may know, in-text citations can be written either as ...
The British Library Business and IP Centre
Did you know that the Business and IP Centre at the British Library, on the Euston Road in London, has a variety of events and resources to support entrepreneurs and small businesses? If you register ...
Getting started on your Master’s thesis
Please note: This post is intended to provide advice to all students undertaking a thesis in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences. There is separate advice for School of Management students. Choosing your thesis ...
A key strength of the Management MSc: Thesis-linked Internships for all students
What drew me to Cranfield was not just its reputation, but the practical, real-world approach embedded in the curriculum. The course offers the chance to work on live case studies with companies and even ...
Register for a British Library Reader’s Pass
The British Library (Euston, London) is open to students and researchers who wish to use its world-class collections and resources. To do this, you need to register for a reader's pass. Begin by reading the ...
Unlock your full searching potential with a personal account in EBSCO or ProQuest
Some of our journal-searching resources include features that are only available when you have registered for an individual account. These features can help you to: Save time Document your work Keep up to date. Sound ...