Hospital misses cancer targets

This news report (Link to report) has really gotten to me and I'm trying to work things out.

It's a small number, 4.  They've missed their target by 4%. However here's a bigger number, 15. 15 % who had no chance of getting treatment within the 62 day deadline.

But those numbers are people. People who've been told they've got cancer. People who are scared and overwhelmed, frustrated and angry. I've been that person.

They aren't just a number. The statement

 "they tried hard to ensure cancelled patients got their operations within four weeks"

 just doesn't cut it. Like that makes it all better. 

Four weeks is a long time, it's an eternity when you're struggling to keep things together and not think about cancer for 4 minutes let alone 4 weeks. 

This hospital won't be the only one in the same boat. I'm not directing my comments at the people who work there, doing an amazing job, under difficult situations. It's the situation I'm angry at.

This is my hospital and I was seen and operated on within 6 weeks. I was treated incredibly well during my stay, but post op and referrals were a little fraught and MrC's post op appointment was nearly two years after his stay. Yes really, two years!!

The numbers on this page are tragic. And each of those numbers represent a person and their families. The numbers are people not a statistic.

And we need to remember that.

We need a change, we need to put the patient at the centre of the NHS and not the numbers .... but what do you think?