Dr. Crippen says doctors are in a no-win PR position:

My pay has gone up approximately 25% over the last two years. That extra money has been earned by hitting government targets. The targets were set by the government, not by us, and mostly have little to do with health care, but a lot to do with “process” and bogus but quantifiable “healthcare achievements”.

We told the government at the outset that it was a waste of money, that the money could be better spent but, to them, “control” was everything.

They removed our professional autonomy. They told us what to do, and promised us piece-rate financial rewards for doing it. So we have done it, and done it more efficiently than they thought possible.

This was always a lose-lose PR exercise for doctors. If we had not hit the targets, we would have been lazy. If we hit them, we are greedy.

All targets hit. All payments made. Healthcare continues to deteriorate. So the government need a scapegoat. Everything has gone wrong. You do not know where all the money has gone. Let us blame the doctors. This is bunker mentality. You lose the war, so it is time to start shooting the soldiers.