He points out that whilst ministerial promises of thousands of extra beds can be relied on for favourable headlines, there is a danger that expanding hospitals' capacity to cope with unusual peaks in demand could render them inefficient.

ECONOMIST: Health: Winter discontent | The

These investments by Asians, mostly in real estate and golf courses, led to a supply far greater than demand, and was extremely inefficient.

CNN: LETTERS AND COMMENT

At times of peak demand, electricity is made largely from natural gas in turbines so inefficient that saving 1% of U.S. electricity, including peak hours, saves 2% of total natural gas use and cuts its price 3% to 4%.

FORBES: The Case For Efficiency

Why do we demand bobbies on the beat even when we know it is an incredibly inefficient way of catching criminals?

BBC: What do we value about the police?

Insurance companies would utilize co-pays, deductibles, coverage limitations, and other contractual features that discourage inefficient levels of care, and more generous policies would be more expensive, discouraging demand for such coverage.

CNN: Commentary: US health costs out of control

At times of peak demand, she argues, the petrol price must rise high enough to prompt the reopening of old and inefficient refineries that would not normally be profitable.

ECONOMIST: Falling oil prices cheer central bankers