Anonymous

Midlands

IT Developer

To Richard...

The phrase is actually "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it" which is certainly true.

One point Peter misses is that there is more than one way to meet targets.
Our local hospital has taken to employing rude and agressive consultants. Patients would prefer to suffer in silence, or go private, rather than be humiliated by these people, so remove themselves from waiting lists. Result? Waiting lists get shorter; objective achieved.
I'm sure this isn't the approach the Government had in mind when it ordered health authorities to shorten waiting lists, but with no resources available (to improve delivery of treatment) this is what has happened.
My point is that it wouldn't *if* the useless measures and targets hadn't been in place to start with.