An enquiry has found Jeremy Hunt’s statement to the House of Commons in May that nearly 500,000 women had not been invited for breast camaancer screening, and that 270 may have died needlessly, was based on wrong advice. Thousands of women were rightly concerned about Hunt’s statement that the problem was caused by a computer error, and guesstimates of the number who probably died were high. But one wonders why no-one bothered to check the evidence after Hunt later revised the number who may have died down to fewer than 75.
If you were one of the 75 bad luck, but this debacle just highlights the way Governments play around with figures, so one can’t trust them any more. As usual, a catalgue of excuses are being rolled out, which begs the question “why aren’t ‘they’ doing their jobs properly? What do we pay ‘them’ for?” Don’t numbers mean anything any more. I suppose the average Minister counts on his fingers – therefor isn’t able to understand any number above 10. Unless he also uses his toes (but that’s Apes – isn’t it?)
So if you are one of those who got caught up in the ‘numbers game’ I feel for you; mind you, the rest of us aren’t reassured that anything will be improved after this latest scandal!