Anonymous

Manchester

IT Manager

Mr Cochrane's advice "Don't do it [manipulate figures], no matter what" just doesn't work in the real world.

In my previous job at the NHS I was responsible for the production of waiting list figures.

Had we published actual figures rather than what the NHS Executive / Minister wanted to hear our Chief Executive would have lost his job.

In political environments like the NHS, bad news does not travel upwards. The policy is "go and get me more acceptable figures or I will find someone else who can".

If you want to keep your job you tell people what they want to hear. Common sense 1 Moral High Ground 0.