ABSTRACT
An interest in collecting data rarely intrudes into the process of planning or evaluating services. Most professionals in the health service seem to presume to know already without any data, not only what services are required, but also how they are currently functioning. To question either often seems pointless and faintly tedious. Yet the role of the sceptic is an important one. Of course, I am not suggesting that anyone who provides services can stand completely outside their prejudices and take a truly ‘objective’ view of what is going on. However, they can at least try to put their prejudices alongside their data and attempt to clarify to what extent the one has permeated the other. They can also remind people of the true nature and extent of the difficulties when these blatantly contradict the plans and proposals that are being put forward. There is a natural tendency to be drawn to easy (and cheap) solutions to what are complex personal and social problems, and when this happens someone has to nudge the planners and politicians with a little reality.
