[West Ender]

I suppose it has got better in this area, hospital appointments I mean, but I would have said, a few years ago, that the hospital would be glad if a few appointments were "missed". I remember taking my daughter and grandson to hospital for a check-up in 1987, when Peter was 2, as he had a slight heart murmer (now completely gone) after a difficult birth. The appointment was for 10.30 a.m. We arrived to find a packed waiting room and discovered that everyone else also had an appointment at 10.30. He was seen at 12.15.

It used to be the norm, hanging around hospital wating rooms, except in the days when I could afford BUPA (can't now, they wanted gold bullion once I attained 60 years of age). Nowadays it's much better and, the twice I've been in the last 3 years, I've been seen almost to the minute. The thing is, though, I could hardly forget the appointments because I only go to the hospital if there's a problem. Once it was for an X-ray on my dodgy back (yep, arthritis) and once for a hearing test (yep, deaf as a post in one ear). At my GP's surgery I go every 6 months for blood-pressure checks and blood tests so I make the appointments about a week beforehand. If it's something more acute (very rare) I get there a.s.a.p. and I'm hardly likely to forget if, for instance, I'm coughing for England.

It makes me wonder why, exactly, these people are seeing their GP/being referred to hospital. I don't mean people with long-term problems like you, Cashman, but the one-offs who just don't turn up.