Unfortunately it happens far too often. Because of my medical connections I often get asked to help friends get sorted. One needed very major risky surgery and his consultant and team were very keen to do it
Doesn't surprise me in the least. The first question to ask in ANY situation like this is 'who does this benefit the most; the surgeon/surgical team or me, the recipient?' If it is that the surgeon and his team need the practice or to increase the numbers, tell them to go forth and multiply. I had two examples last week where people who should not have been operating were operating! They faffed about for two unnecessary hours before deciding they were incapable and opened the patient up anyway. The second one they decided the defect was too small to operate on after subjecting her to a risky angio procedure but this should have been discovered in clinic investigations. Still, they needed the numbers to put them in a better light when they attend clinical conferences!
Weighs next to nothing. You can have it for a song as it's in the way and it really needs to be used.