With a sample now of nearly 4 000 hospitalised cases of coronavirus infection, there is clear evidence of a dramatic gap in the mortality rate between NHS Scotland [18 per 1000] and NHS England [54 per 1 000]. On average, patients in one NHS are 3 TIMES more likely to die than they are in another. Figures here:
Last year the death rate of Scottish drug addicts was headlined repeatedly in a feeding frenzy of media coverage and political accusations. The gap was the same. Scottish drug addicts were dying at 3 TIMES the rate.
Why is one of these newsworthy and the other not?
BBC UK and the major newspapers should be on this and asking questions. People have a right to know.
What could be causing this gap in performance? Well, we all know that, regardless of Johnson’s tasteless attempt to make hay with death in NHS Scotland’s supposed ‘resilience ‘ problems, NHS Scotland performs better across a range of criteria. It seems likely in a complex situation like that the explanation for the gap will be complex too.
NHS Scotland has much faster A&E times, more staff per head of population, better morale, better patient satisfaction and greater coherence as a result of a respectful consultative government, but one other factor may turn out to be very important and there’s research evidence that it may well be.
In 2008, the incoming SNP Government in Edinburgh banned private contractors from servicing Scottish NHS hospitals.
https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2008_46.pdf
There have been regular recent signs of problems with outsourced catering and cleaning in England:
Sandwich listeria:
NO Norovirus here:
From the BBC in December 2019:
Hospitals in England closed more than 1,100 beds in the past week because of the winter vomiting bug norovirus. Data shows higher than average levels of norovirus in November. One of the most common stomach bugs in the UK, it can be spread very easily in the community.
In the 19th paragraph:
Wales and Northern Ireland have also seen an increase in vomiting and diarrhoea or flu-like illnesses over the last few weeks, particularly in schools and care homes.
In the 23rd and last paragraph:
‘In Scotland, there has been no increase in norovirus cases in hospitals so far this winter.’
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50673491
Research:
4 YEARS AGO, the warnings were there when the University of Oxford published this:
‘NHS hospitals that outsource cleaning ‘linked with higher rates of MRSA’. New research shows that NHS hospitals that employ private cleaners are associated with a higher incidence of MRSA, a ‘superbug’ that causes life-threatening infection and has previously been linked with a lack of cleanliness.’
There was no MSM coverage of this.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Unrelated for Alasdair: Write something for us on this?
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18323870.coronavirus-scottish-government-unable-guarantee-teachers-will-paid/
A first glance looks like nothing
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We are in a continually changing situation, with Westminster having issued its third budget in a week. However, it is unclear in several aspects how people will actually be able to access the monies available and the criteria. Since the SG has a fixed budget it is unable to do as the Treasury is doing and create money. However, there will be ‘Barnet Consequentials’.
The Scottish Teachers Joint Negotiating Committee has been meeting regularly for the past month, in relation to the likely closure of schools, and, almost certainly issues like ‘supply teachers’ will have been considered and will continue to be considered once details and funds come from the Treasury. There will be issues, such as whether the staff concerned are considered as ’employees’ or some other category.
This looks like a leak from one of those teachers to the Herrod and, of course, the EIS has to pursue the interests of members.
It is part of the continued anti SG drip-drip-drip by the unionist media.
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John
I guess it inadequate cleaning may be a part of the picture. Do you remember the condensed piece I sent which you put up. PFI has a part to play in this too. Professor Pollock (public health) says that PFI has been a great closer of beds and services in NHS England. Privatisation has played its part as services move from public to private.I saw a piece recently which said that hospital beds in NHS England were being blocked by patients ready to go home but could not yet do so until insurers had given agreement. I’m sorry now I didn’t keep the reference.
Things do not look good for NHS England.
“The Italian system is “in advance of us in terms of resources and the intensive care beds”, he said, and it could be days until some hospitals reach capacity and patients begin spilling out into corridors.”
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-whats-coming-is-extremely-big-uk-consultant-says-outbreak-could-be-worse-than-in-italy-11960994
Here is a link to the 2011 contingency planning document for an influenza pandemic.It is what the UK government was using (initially, anyway). What the UK government did not take from the report was the need to be better prepared – many more ventilators, for example.
Click to access dh_131040.pdf
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When looking to future election results perhaps the UK’s place on the Coronavirus death league table will play a part.
Ch4 last night Germany has 29.6 icu beds per 100,000 people . . . Uk has 6.6
England is short of 50,000 nurses (Scotland has 48.7% more nurses per head of population than England)
Doc Guddi Singh said England’s intensive care facilities are at capacity now. She thinks we could be where Italy is within 1 to 2 weeks
It’s looking as if the UK Is going to have a higher death rate than other Eu countries
This week we were told 20,000 deaths would be a good result . . . . Italy has more deaths than China at 3405.
Will England’s true figure be made public Victoria MacDonald Ch4 news said things are happening in hospitals the press aren’t being told about, . . . . And that’s before “The Surge”
But will it be covered up in England. Scotland’s deaths Are bound to be reported.
Keep your pekkers up. . . And your hands clean
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The UK government’s attitude to the English NHS has resulted in a decline from 1987/88 to 2018/19 of available NHS beds.General and acute beds are down in number by 44% over the period. The total bed numbers are down by 52%.
“The total number of NHS hospital beds in England, including general and acute, mental illness, learning disability, maternity and day-only beds, has more than halved over the past 30 years, from around 299,000 to 142,000, while the number of patients treated has increased significantly.
Most other advanced health care systems have also reduced bed numbers in recent years. However, the UK currently has fewer acute beds relative to its population than almost any other comparable health system.”
https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/nhs-hospital-bed-numbers
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When Corona deaths in UK first started, the BBC news website reported the figures broken down into the four nations. Once the death rate started diverging they stopped this. We are now at a point where today’s 56 deaths are hidden within an article and do not have its own article and headline on the main news page, yet this is the biggest news item of the day.
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