Based on his experiences of helping to fight cuts and closures in Suffolk, the author delivers a damning verdict on the mismanagement of the NHS at national, regional and local level - and on the effects that seriously flawed and damaging decisions are having on patients, particularly on vulnerable groups such as older people. Michael Mandelstam is a health and social care legal expert, who has provided independent legal advice, consultancy and training for over ten years to the NHS, local authorities and voluntary organizations - and written a number of legal books. He also worked previously at the Department of Health. Over the last two years, he became so concerned at what he was witnessing that he decided to unravel all the broken promises, mantras, euphemisms and doublethink that permeate the NHS. Above all, he exposes the scandalous lack of transparency and of accountability that has come to characterize changes that will leave the NHS unrecognizable, if not destroy it altogether. His book shows us the stark and disturbing reality of where the health care system in the UK appears to be headed.