Journalism is all about choices. BBC Scotland have a charter requiring them to to inform. For you to be informed fully, requires that they make choices to provide accuracy and context. Today, under the headline: Record numbers wait more than 12 hours in Scottish A&Es, we heard how many people had waited for more than 12 hours in A&E in November 2019 and later in the report we heard:
Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative health spokesman, said: “It is utterly unacceptable that almost 1,000 people waited in A&E for over 12 hours last month, most likely in fear and pain.
The above opportunity for an opposition MSP to rant and to dramatise in this way is offensive, unprofessional and unique to BBC Scotland coverage. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, politicians with a cynical agenda are not given space to corrupt the information value of reporting.
We do hear later that even this increased level remains at only 0.7% but we certainly do not hear how this compares with other parts of the UK so that we might put in it perspective. The level, across 2018/19 was 3 times higher in England, 8 times higher in Wales and 5 times higher in N Ireland.
What do you think the figure might be in Canada, affluent, successful Canada? A whopping 33% had to wait 4 hours or more in 2017.
https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/health/hospital-wait-times/
What about France and Germany? There is no national monitoring of waiting times. No one there thinks politicians or partisan media should exploit such information.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168851013001759
Similarly we are told in the BBC Scotland report that ‘only’ 85.5% treated were within 4 hours, but not that NHS England could only manage a really fearful 67.89%.
https://inews.co.uk/news/health/nhs-england-covering-up-true-scale-of-12-hour-hospital-waits-1335856
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Is the SNP doing anything to counteract this constant drip, drip, drip of propaganda? If so i don;t read about it.
We are under attack and the only one who seems to be fighting the BBC and other MSM on this issue and education, appears to be John.
The constant repetition is surely a symptom of state propaganda.
If we want independence the SNP, Greens and Scottish Labour Independence supporters need to start being more than passive victims and surely that job must fall primarily on the SNP. They can’t rely on hiding behind John.
Have the lies of Johnson, Rabb, Gove Hancock etc taught us nothing.
We can’t depend on facts if lies are presented in such a way that they are believed.
It isn’t Indi supporters we need to convince it is the kind of people who believe the propaganda just because it is in print.
The SNP really has to start campaigning NOW.
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Some highly encouraging (record level user satisfaction rates maintained for a further year) annual User Survey results regarding the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service being reported on the Scottish Legal site. Doubtless beeb Scotland (and fuller ‘Scottish’ msm) will find it in their hearts to completely ignore it – again!! Link and snippets below:
https://www.scottishlegal.com/article/court-user-satisfaction-remains-at-record-level
Users of services provided by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) staff are extremely satisfied – with 92 per cent of people who took part in a survey declaring their overall satisfaction.
This equals the record satisfaction level of 92 per cent recorded in the 2017 survey.
Ninety-seven per cent of respondents said they found staff polite and 96 per cent found staff to be helpful. These ratings are unchanged from 2017.
Over two thirds of the 2,483 public and professional court users surveyed were very or fairly satisfied with how long they waited to take part in court proceedings; 81 per cent were satisfied with updates from court staff about why they were waiting; and 80 per cent were satisfied with updates from court staff about how much longer they would have to wait.
In terms of court facilities, satisfaction with the comfort, cleanliness and safety and security of facilities used was generally (though not exclusively) over 75 per cent, slightly lower than in 2017, while 81 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the range of catering provision and 83 per cent were satisfied with the quality of the catering.
While the overall level of dissatisfaction remained unchanged at two per cent, the survey identified some areas which users felt could be improved. The most prevalent among the comments received was the need for better and/or more communication between staff and court users about delays, and timing of court cases.
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The ever excellent SNP MP Tommy Sheppard has combined with the National to circulate some useful short-form update info on the House of Lords reflection of today’s Scottish society (spoiler – no realistic reflection whatsoever). Link and snippet below: (Note in particular the disparity in privately purchased education percentage amongst ‘Scottish’ peers as compared to the relevant full population figures – privilege can be, and is being, purchased every day of the year in ‘British’ Scotland):
https://www.thenational.scot/news/18139045.hard-facts-lords-analysis/
SOME facts and figures about the House of Lords from SNP MP Tommy Sheppard’s analysis:
• Number of peers: 781
• Number of “Scotland’s peers” identified by SNP research paper: 87
• Scotland’s peers by party: Labour 33%, Tory 30%, Crossbench 21%, Lib Dem 15%, Ukip 1%, SNP 0%
• Scotland’s peers who support Scottish independence: 0%
• Scottish peers who support remaining in the UK: 100%
• Female Scottish peers: 14%
• Female Scottish MPs: 29%
• Percentage of Scotland’s population who are female: 51%
• Percentage of Scotland’s peers who are over 65: 70%
• Percentage of Scotland’s population aged over 65: 22%
• Percentage of Scotland’s peers who are aged between 16 and 44: 1%
• Percentage of Scotland’s population aged between 16 and 44: 44%
• Percentage of Scotland’s peers who were privately schooled: 60%
• Percentage of Scotland’s population who were private educated: 0.054%
• Total expenses bill of Scotland’s peers 2017/2018: £2,939,035
• Most expensive of Scotland’s peers: David Steel, total expenses £58,492; £591 per day
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Confess I was seeing little media over recent festive season but certainly never noticed beeb carrying the good news about 96% of Scotland’s new parents (and their babies!) accessing their wonderful Baby Boxes during 2019 . Can’t help but speculate whether a certain Corporal Signaller (TA) requested one for the birth of her fine wee lad. Given the rarity of her Constituency ‘surgeries’ she would certainly have had the time to complete the Baby Box application info. Link and snippets below:
https://news.gov.scot/news/45-000-baby-boxes-delivered-in-2019
More than 45,000 baby boxes have been delivered to expectant parents in 2019.
Across Scotland 96% of parents are taking up the opportunity of getting a Baby Box, while the latest parent survey shows 100% satisfaction with the box and contents, which include a digital ear thermometer, clothes and a blanket.
Children’s Minister Maree Todd said: “We now have 96% of expectant parents requesting a Baby Box, a big rise on the 85% when they were first launched in 2017. In total we have now delivered more than 115,000 boxes to families across Scotland which is a huge vote of confidence.”
Research into parents’ views taken in December 2017 shows 100% are either satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of the contents.
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BBC Scotland journalism.
They think CONTEXT is a tweet from Jalkie Carlot.
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Gavin – I’m STILL laughing at your fantastic pun – thanks for cheering us up with your linguistic contortions – I see someone called Michelle Ballantyne MSP is hoping to run against wee Jacko Carlaw. Weren’t they both active participants in Operation Erse (to undermine Johnson)? – Bit cheeky of them both to run for office as Johnson’s sub-branch manager isn’t it?
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Operation Erse.
Jaikie represents one cheek of so called erse, while Michelle represents the other.
Boris keeks out from the centre through the “Popes e’e”.
Boris being an @rsehole,……………. but Jaikie and Michelle, as proprietors of the “Tory Flame” would put it– “he is OUR @rsehole”!
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There is scope for a genuine and INFORMED public debate about issues such as the very small proportion of A&E cases which take longer than 4 hours for discharge. Far down the alarmist BBC Scotland article there was a nuanced comment from an A&E doctor about the issues which have to be addressed. Undoubtedly, the ability to move treated patients quickly out of A&E into locations where they can be supported, safe and monitored, such as in care facilities locally, are essential. The NHS and Councils are working pretty hard on this issue, made more urgent by the increasing numbers of elderly people. It is a complex problem and there is plenty of determination to find solutions, but these take time. Only tonight, at our local Community Council Meeting there was information about a local meeting on this issue to explore ideas.
This is the kind of thing BBC Scotland should be doing to fulfil its supposed ‘education and informing role’. But, of course, it prefers cavilling and carping.
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