Heal the NHS with mind control

NEWLY released files on the CIA’s sinister Project MKUltra — a unit set up in the Fifties and Sixties to investigate mind control — has revealed the scandalous extent of the experiments.

Scientists subjected human guinea pigs to a range of biological and chemical techniques in an attempt to control thoughts and actions.

The experiments were largely failures, though, and you’d assume the idea of mind control would be consigned to the history books. In fact, it’s still very much present — and I’m a fan because I think it could really benefit the NHS.

Today, mind control focuses on ‘ nudging’ people towards choices that are beneficial to them and for the greater good — the so-called ‘nudge theory’.

For example, scientists at Imperial College London showed that pumping the ‘smell’ of soap into an intensive care unit made staff and visitors much more likely to wash their hands; while a fruit bowl by the till in a hospital canteen will influence more people to buy a piece of fruit.

At Barts NHS Trust in London, the cost of missed appointments is included in reminder texts sent to patients, reducing the number of missed appointments by nearly 25 per cent. Small changes — but together they can have a huge impact.