How The NHS Cons Us.

Just how much money exactly has been wasted unnecessarily on this journey that took me right back to square one eventually, I couldn't figure.

So, this morning I found myself laughing hysterically at the sheer bullshit of the NHS, and how much we, the punters, are being rinsed of our hard-earned cash to fund arms-length organisations that, are effectively outwith the scope of overall government control, and only answerable to themselves and their shareholders.

Now, to set my stall, I have some experience of this from past involvement at minor government level, and this is how it works.

Government, and local authorities, healthcare providers, etc, etc, will farm out contracts for services to private providers that, in fairness bid for these contracts. So, they're not just handed out willy-nilly to any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

Unless, of course, you are arguably and allegedly someone in any major party who knows someone, who knows someone who can provide the right service at the right time. As long as you are in a high position where you know someone, who knows that someone who can make a deal happen.

Now, far be it from me to ever make the suggestion that the entire system is corrupt from top to bottom. More like a simple reminder of that saying, 'it's not what you know, but who you know' in this world, so to speak, that'll ease the journey towards final destination and a diamond-encrusted handshake to close whatever deal needs wrapping up.

That said, for now, at least, I'm far more interested in money that's unnecessarily wasted for absolutely no good reason at all that I can see. It all began with a referral from my GP to, what I assumed would be my local hospital. Simple, right? Well, apparently nothing nowadays could ever be that simple in the world of NHS healthcare.

Remember the old days, when not so far back you consulted with your doctor, who then referred you to your local hospital, and then, following consultation you were referred to another department within the campus and, to all intents and purposes it was job done? Resolved, fixed, and cured, you hoped.

Well, seemingly not any more from the letter I received. So, the journey is as follows. GP refers me to the hospital, which refers me to an outside provider on behalf of said hospital under the NHS banner. Next, I call an outside provider, to have the call answered by a commercial call centre that refers to me, not as a 'patient' as I would expect, but as a 'customer'. The giveaway here being that I was holding to be connected to an 'agent'.

This I could accept if I was perhaps booking a holiday, or, buying a retail service. Instead, I was fully expecting to speak with a 'patient appointments person'. But no, suddenly I became the 'consumer' of a service, which I suppose I was in effect, although not at all ready to hear it put to me so brutally. Call me old-fashioned, if you will, but I rather like being referred to as a 'patient'.

Now, here's the punchline that's so full of delicious irony that it had me tickled for the remainder of my morning. I was then offered an appointment, Guess where?

Go on, I dare you. In fact, I double dare you as to where I was referred to. Well, on the off chance you haven't guessed correctly, I was referred right back to where I began and offered an appointment at my GP surgery.

Absolute fucking genius! You couldn't make it up - except someone did, and it sure wasn't me. So, there you have it.

Almost two months of wasted time putting me through a system that, had it not been for farming out, I would ordinarily have been seen in no time at all.

Just how much money exactly has been wasted unnecessarily on this journey that took me right back to square one eventually, I couldn't figure. However, it's quite revealing on a small, local scale just how the NHS is completely screwed, and, possibly explain how the money is being made by private contractors who, thanks to our dosh are making money hand over fist from the system.