How to make a serious report on NHS waiting lists seem frivolous? Use soap characters to illustrate your point!

Making the serious point that the public underestimates how long they would have to wait if they needed an operation on the NHS, Norwich Union decided to use Dot Cotton and Vera Duckworth to demonstrate regional variations in waiting lists.

Backchat was sorry to learn that dear old Vera would have to wait almost a month longer than launderette queen Dot to have a hip replacement, while the "talent" in ITV's Footballers' Wives would be hobbling about waiting for a knee op for ten weeks longer than an Archers character.

It might be slightly missing the point but Backchat would have thought a footballer today might be able to go private.

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