Matthew's Journal

The Beeb has recently started a "Scrubbing Up" column for professionals to opine about healthcare in the UK. This week's is by the President of the Royal College of Surgeons, and rants about (amongst other things) the "choose and book" system. When I interacted with the booking system, I was unimpressed, and I also agree with Mr Black's other comments about interactions with consultants - my GP said "there's no reason not to go to University Hospital", and it was the closest, so I ended up going there, but I had no good basis on which to make that decision (separate from my GP's advice). I saw a different doctor (or set of doctors) every time I went to the hospital, too. I agree that it's not great from the patient perspective - the whole process was a lot of sitting around and waiting, a fair bit of discomfort, and rather impersonal.