Mr. Martin Varley:

I would suggest that the root cause of that problem is the lack of capacity. All patients presenting in public hospitals are listed for care based on clinical need. There are bottlenecks in diagnostics, first and foremost, in admissions - owing to a lack of beds - and in terms of access to theatre. The comparison to which the Chairman refers is a comparison of the private hospital system with the public hospital system. It is not a differential of treatment within the public hospital. I have yet to come across situations whereby there is differential treatment. The capacity issues are causing the problems. As an insured person, if I need to access diagnostics in the morning and I cannot access it on time in a public hospital, I will go to a private hospital. If I have a serious ailment and I need to be treated in a public hospital and the public hospital is the only place which provides that care, I will then present at a public hospital and I will be treated on the basis of clinical need. It is unfair to suggest that the public hospitals are in one way or the other prioritising. It is because of capacity restrictions that people cannot be diagnosed on time and they cannot get in for treatment on time.