I can’t access this story and get instead:
I suppose it is an improvement on what you often get from Helen McArdle but it leaves me with only the headline and the miserable photograph of the Health Secretary to work on. Luckily, we need no more to know where it’s going. NHS Scotland has insufficient beds for the forthcoming epidemic and the Health Secretary is responsible. I don’t suppose they’ve mentioned this from September 2019:
We note the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) have used a bed occupancy of 85% to estimate that NHS Scotland needs an additional 200 beds. For context, that is 1.5% of NHS Scotland’s acute bed base; RCEM also estimate that in England an additional 5,065 beds are needed – 5.0% of the general & acute bed base.
I understand that the 85% bed occupancy originates from research carried out around 20 years ago. There have been significant changes to the NHS and the way care is delivered since then, including the four-hour A&E standard, ambulatory care, and same day surgery. We recognise that bed occupancy should be monitored as part of hospital bed planning. The latest published statistics show acute specialty bed occupancy in Scotland was at 87.7%, 86.9%, 85.9% and 86.7% in the last four years.
Click to access WA20190902.pdf
Or this from deep inside a Herald article only 3 days ago:
NHS Scotland already doubling intensive care to meet Coronavirus peak demand
Part of the work we’re undertaking is in terms of looking at bed capacity across the whole estate and doubling our intensive care beds, and ensuring we have the right trained staff and the right equipment in order to be able to do that. We will continue to look at what more can we do to maximise our capacity to respond to this. At the same time, we’re taking the action to flatten that peak so that we give ourselves the best possible chance to do so.
That’s just the beds. See this:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Under the headline and photo the Error 503 info mentions ‘Guru Meditation’ – I reckon The Guru has Meditated and returned with a mighty counterblast to the britnat blatherings of the Ukanian media circus.
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Propoganda war
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I started work in the NHS in 1964. Then someone coming in say for surgery could easily be in for two weeks – a few days before the op to get all the blood test etc. carried out then the OP itself and a week or so post op.
So one bed, one patient every two weeks.
Last year I went in for a relatively minor OP. Pre-OP assessment a week or so beforehand – 1 hour tops. OP in the afternoon. Arrived just as the morning patients were leaving.
So one bed, two patients one day.
A few weeks later I went in for a major op. Wed afternoon. Back on the ward by 6 PM. Could have been discharged the next day but they decided to keep me a wee bit longer – it’s my winning personality. Discharged lunchtime Friday.
So one bed, one patient, 2 days total.
Advances in pain management and surgical techniques – keyhole surgery – and preop assessment etc have reduced the time spent in hospital for the vast majority of patients. Therefore while there may be fewer beds than 10, or 15 years ago the throughput of patients has if anything increased.
It may therefore be possible to find some of the extra intensive care beds by reducing the elective surgery throughput.. However you still need ventilators for each bed, if they are ex-surgical beds they will already have oxygen and possibly enough power sockets for all the instruments yet there is no sense that the UK Gov has taken this on board and ordered production to be increased. Are they even manufactured in the UK? In fact there is very little sense that the UK Gov is making any preparations at all.
Thank heavens for the Scottish Gov.
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This morning Gordon Brewer ” Italy has sent the military into a company to get them to increase production of Ventilators”
Meanwhile Bo Jo’s policy is Herd Immunity. Achieved through 60% of population catching Cv.
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I have noticed that Any mention of uping the production of ventilators etc in preparation for the increased demand on the health services has been conspicuous by its absence.
China is sending some ventilators, and some doctors, to Italy to help them out.
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Same warning message when trying to access The National – 2100 on 13th March. Maybe a glitch on the Herald / National servers?
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I nearly missed this! Martin James Keatings has started a petition to go along with the people’s court action (to rule on competence of Scottish govt to hold an independence referendum) which will be ready in just over a week :
He says it is to be presented to the court of session, and both parliaments to show it is the popular choice etc.
I’ve seen a rumour that the SNP want to prevent SNP MPs standing in the Holyrood elections, if this is true we can’t rely on the likes of Joanna Cherry to be here pushing for a referendum next year. We were promised a referendum this year anyway – can we push the Scottish government into doing it?
Please sign.
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“”We were promised a referendum this year anyway – can we push the Scottish government into doing it?””
In the midst of a pandemic where large gatherings are banned and people are avoiding crowds and are deeply concerned about their health and that of their families and fearful of the economic effects on their livelihoods – what a good idea…not.
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Sounds like a good idea to me , no gathering together in crowds or canvassing which might help spread the virus.
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