Chin up buddy, nobody will blame you for having a rant. If it helps then rant, easy as.

I can offer you a smile and a hug and say, keep up the good work

Take it from me, that's too much work to do without some downtime. As soon as you get tired, you'll cock up a code, drop a sql statement and end up going rond in ever decreasing demented circles.

And a warning ... if you are one of five statisticians, and the only one doing the coding, juuuuust be sure that you have a couple of wee fallbacks in there in case some idiot thinks you're so clever they can do without you once the thing is up and running. Sure sounds like your manager is enough of an idiot to do it. A wee coding error might just be the thing that keeps you around, and it would serve them right. I don't suppose you're getting paid for twenty eight days straight work? That's six weeks for the price of four, if you count holiday entitlement.

Good luck! There's nothing like writing relational databases to drive you clean round the bend ... and I only work in Access. I tried sqlserver and it was beyond me, lol.

Thanks Mark

NotNoNever - don't worry vengeance shall be mine. I'm going to set up the reporting so that it will require a password (which only I will know, and will periodically change without warning ). As for being paid? Yeah right. I've been told I can take the time back (as and when it is convenient with my manager).

My sympathies. But, all that back breaking labour must give you some satisfaction, with a sense of supremacy over the other numbskulls in the department. And not to mention the great service you are doing to all those cancer patients and future policy makers and epidemiologists. Please feel free to vent. We are all here for you.

Them that can, get dumped on! But since you want it done right, who better?

I can feel a little self esteem here that should be proud of your efforts. Hope you rest when needed, and if you need to snap, snap at me.

Good luck and take care !

Thanks guys s to all

Joann, I could never take you up on that offer - but thanks anyway

No pressure then Andy

Seriously, though, you shouldn't do the QA. QA is a key process control - it has to be done independently otherwise it's not a control but a fudge. Email your Risk Manager or Internal Audit and request a speedy reply to get something suitable in place. You need to protect your back. If it goes pear-shaped QA is your protection. Oh, and the general public's. Not that we count of course. Being only the customers ...

I'm serious, this is a horror story. Your manager should be fired - what an irresponsible d*^@head - and you should be given the job.

Good luck!