Talking about reducing the number of targets handed down by the government to the NHS, which I agree with, Andrew Lansley, Conservative Shadow Health Secretary, on the BBC Politics Show about the NHS said, "Narrowing in on how long people wait for specific treatments is actually distorting the whole process..... The NHS should be measuring the overall outcome. And for cancer patients, for example, five-year survival rates is the way to do it."

The first step for serious illness, which is beyond the scope of GPs, is entry into hospital where specialist attention and treatment are available. If this route from GP to hospital is not smooth, relieving treatment is delayed, conditions can deteriorate and waiting times get longer.

This is a critical area, where delay can mean the difference between life and death, and influences every stage of the patients recovery. It can also set the level of urgency for people all along the chain of treatment, up or down.

You have to start somewhere and I can’t think of a better place to start than at the beginning.