A&E Waiting Times
Series that investigates numbers in the news. Tim Harford examines NHS performance data, bad luck and cancer, and statistics that are true and unfair.
It's been reported that the NHS in England has missed its four-hour A&E waiting time target with performance dropping to its lowest level for a decade. Tim Harford takes a closer look at the numbers with John Appleby, chief economist of the independent health think tank the King's Fund.
Do 85 people really own half the world's wealth? An advert for a ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ2 programme claims so, but More or Less listeners aren't so sure.
The media has also been full of stories about a new study, which reportedly shows that most cancers are caused by 'bad luck'. But, actually, it doesn't. Tim Harford finds out what the research really tells us about the causes of cancer, speaking to PZ Myers, a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris, in the United States and Professor George Davey-Smith, clinical epidemiologist at Bristol University.
The Financial Times' Chris Giles joins Tim Harford to discuss statistical claims which are both true and unfair.
Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Ruth Alexander
Programme credit: the song Bad Dream, featured in the item about cancer, was composed by Nick Thorburn.
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Read the article on the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ News Magazine Website.
Chapters
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A&E Waiting Times
The NHS in England has missed its four-hour A&E waiting time target. Why?
Duration: 05:41
Rich List
Do 85 people really own half the world's wealth?
Duration: 02:26
Bad Luck and Cancer
Does a recent study really show that most cancers are caused by βbad luckβ?
Duration: 09:07
The Truth Hurts
Chris Giles and Tim Harford discuss statistical claims which are both true and unfair.
Duration: 05:39
Broadcasts
- Fri 9 Jan 2015 16:30ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Sun 11 Jan 2015 20:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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