Are doctor's mod-cons a cold comfort?
Bunged up and wrapped up, I headed to my local doctor's surgery last Friday to be confronted with what I can only describe as a shocking waste of money.
I thought my fever had reached new levels and that I must have been hallucinating.
Surely that was not a plasma screen check-in system in front of me, accompanied by plasma screen televisions showing NHS videos advising people not to get fat this winter.
Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought we were experiencing a recession, the likes of which this country has not seen since the early 1980s.
I also seem to remember reading that hundreds of people are losing their jobs every day and crisis talks are being held across the globe to try to find a way out of this economic misery.
So why does the NHS feel it necessary to replace the 'going to speak to a receptionist and then waiting until you are called to see the doctor' system with tapping in your details on a touch screen and being patronised by a wall-mounted television before your name flashes across the screen informing you to head to room two.
Coughing and spluttering, I decided to read my book rather than be subjected to images of carefree people careering down hills on sledges in the snow.
It certainly was a far cry from the worried faces I've been bumping into recently.
But every time a buzzer went and someone was summoned to see a doctor, my eyes returned to the screen and the great advice about not sitting on the sofa eating burgers.
The new high-tech system got my attention, so maybe it does work.
On the other hand, I can't remember ever missing out on a doctor's appointment because I didn't see my number appear on the old system.
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Weather for Diss
Tuesday 07 September 2010
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
