An Ailing Health Service

I had occasion yesterday to visit our health centre. My doctor had said that I needed a blood test.

The first thing I noticed was that the phlebotomist was acting as her own receptionist. She was handing a number to prospective patients in the order in which they presented themselves. After she had done this for a time, she skipped next door to her little surgery and delivered the required treatment to her patients

I asked her if she was happy, fulfilling this dual role. “There’s no choice,” she said. “There’s no one else. If I don’t do it, it won’t get done.”

When it came to my turn, she expertly delivered the blood test. By this time, the other end of the big room was also a scene of confusion, with those attempting to provide treatments of various kinds becoming hopelessly confused with those trying to organise the process, and none knowing quite what was going on.

“What on earth is going on,” I enquired. I was answered with shrugged shoulders.

After a time, the shruggers elaborated a little.

“It’s the budget cuts” the shruggers said.

I was aghast. If the cuts could disrupt a relatively simple process like the one I had been involved in, what impact would they have on some of the more complex parts of the health service.

Our health service is in more trouble than we might imagine.