Free Republic

A condemned killer's fight to receive surgery for agonizing hip pain pushed Kentucky officials into an uncomfortable debate over security, politics and even the possibility of inviting scorn from Fox News pundits. Emails and memos obtained by The Associated Press show corrections officials struggling for a year to reconcile their duty to provide medical care with the political ramifications of spending tens of thousands of dollars for surgery on a man they plan to execute. A key problem would turn out to be security issues that led several hospitals to balk at treating inmate Robert Foley, who still hasn't had...

Patients in some areas who need hip replacements and other orthopaedic operations are still having to wait more than two years for NHS treatment, figures show. Almost one in four waits longer than 12 months for an operation after referral by their GP. For 3 per cent, the delay is twice that. The average wait is 40 weeks - ten weeks longer than across all specialties. The figures on Health Service performance were published as part of a progress report on the Government's pledge to treat all patients in 18 weeks. Just 35 per cent of those needing hospital admission...