ML Grey’s comment regarding the amount of money spent on headaches and coughs etc. (BFP August 10) is misleading. My problem is that it trivialises and generalises minor ailments that could be symptomatic of more serious illnesses.
Opticians often capture early symptoms of eye disease or diabetes. Dentists have also saved lives through recognising the early signs of mouth and throat cancers.
Now that these services are not as affordable as they were people do not visit the dentist or optician as regularly as they once did. This places the people’s health at risk and causes more expense when the problems are eventually diagnosed at a more advanced stage.
My message is that basic statistics and anecdotes do not necessarily reveal the full story and are often inaccurate.
Colin Helps, FCMA CGMA MBA
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