Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Talking-up Scotland has been growing and improving since its first crowd-funders, in February and September 2025, as is clear from our monthly WordPress report, above. In January 2025, we had only 31 254 discrete visitors and only141 posts published, compared to 38 575 visitors and 166 posts published in January 2026. More subjectively, I feel, the quality has gone up and the presence across other social media from x, FB, and Bsky, to now tik tok, has swollen by thousands. However, in sharp contrast, the February 2026 crowd-funder struggles with so far, … Continue reading Talking-up Scotland pushes well beyond 1 000 readers per day average but cannot attract realistic funding

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. Four hours ago on the Scottish Government‘s latest news site, surely followed by all political editors: Resident Doctors have voted to accept a revised pay and contract reform offer and call off strike action. The British Medical Association (BMA) has confirmed that its members have accepted an offer of 4.25% in 2025-26 and 3.75% in 2026-27 – a deal that matches one recently accepted by nurses and other health care staff. The agreement, which will see a cumulative 8.16% uplift over two years, also includes a separate package of contractual reform over … Continue reading An actual 97% resident doctor vote to call off strike action is not news yet last year when they might hopefully in the future do so, it was

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. On STV News and in the Herald but, again, hidden by BBC Scotland: Patients will have access to GP-led care on the same day without an appointment as the First Minister opens the first of a new network of walk-in services. The new services will make it easier for people to get urgent care for medical issues while easing pressure on GP practices and hospitals. The Scottish Government is investing £36 million into a pilot programme which will see a further 14 services established across Scotland. First Minister John Swinney will open … Continue reading First new GP walk-in service opens but is also not news for BBC Scotland

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. From Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratios (HSMR) October 2024 to September 2025 published today, we can see below, that the regularly but unfairly criticised Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, is not just as safe as any other in Scotland but is, in fact, safer than the average with a 3.7% mortality rate and 182 fewer deaths than anticipated, giving it a 0.94 hospital standardised mortality ratio. It’s also much safer than its namesake in England. This won’t be reported but you can be sure if it was different, a higher than average … Continue reading A Tale of Two Queen Elisabeth hospitals – stay away from the one in Norfolk

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above. From Why buses matter for health and reducing transport poverty, research published today: Bus use has positive impacts on health and mental wellbeing through access to services, physical activity and social inclusion. Bus passengers may be exposed to air pollution, noise and injuries but these impacts also affect other road users. Some bus users, particularly women, may experience or fear harassment on buses or at bus stops. Bus drivers may experience adverse health impacts from diesel exposure, shift work, ergonomic issues and interactions with abusive passengers. The lack of bus services to … Continue reading Research reveals Scotland’s free bus travel has positive impacts on health and mental wellbeing beyond schemes in the rest of the UK but it’s not getting media attention