In too many cases the NHS can no longer cope with demand - to my mind this is a direct consequence of consumerism. Look at patterns of ambulance call outs - in London they have DOUBLED in a decade...........why ? http://emj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/1/56 The national pattern also demonstrates year on year increases in demand - have the number of 'true' emergencies increased by a similar ratio.............of course not. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/health/6418241.stm Meanwhile, over the last 5 years A&E attendances have mushroomed by a staggering 33% [now hitting 19 million presentations each year] - the situation was already dire back in 2000 when we had reports every winter of elderly patients stranded in busy A&E departments for days on end. [see summary of Wanless report "Our Future Health Secured", p7 - or type 'Casualty Watch 2000' into google]. Given this unprecedented surge in demand, fueled by increased expectation and sense of entitlement, I do not see how we [the bloody workers] can avoid one or two catastrophes along the way ? And who will end up being disciplined - the 'suits' who are far away from the coal face, protected by a growing library of protocols & guidelines, or the staff who actually deliver the service, and have the temerity to expect a bite to eat during a 12 hour shift ? These days I don't know who I find most irritating: the managers, or the growing army of punters who call an ambulance because they've smoked dope, had a few drinks and now 'feel weird' [or any other number of feeble health problems] - it's a tough call ?