An eye for an eye

In a week that a report from Professor Nick Bosanquet for the Reform group calls for a constitutional change in the health sector making value for money mandatory, spare a thought for Colin Valder.

An elderly man from Brighton, by his own admission "an out and about person" who 'likes visual things' Mr Valder has "fought for King and Country, never been out on strike, never been unemployed, never broken the law, and paid taxes all my life". Now his eyesight is failing, and he desperately needs an operation.

The NHS however, presumably not wishing to waste money saving both his eyes, have told him that he must go blind in one eye before they will operate to save the other.

Apparently the Government may issue guidance soon which might allow this operation to save both Mr Valder's eyes. In the meantime he will just have to wait and hope.

One suspects that in fighting for King and country, even Mr Valder's enemies could not have thought up a more upsetting torture.