Here we go again. A single medic is prepared to say something worrisome about NHS Scotland for the Herald and Helen McArdle can brew it up into another of her crises. She’ll make herself ill with this kind of behaviour. Anyhow, the medic in question, Mr Joe Baines, was born in Pamplona so you’d think he’d be familiar with avoiding bullshit but here he is in the Herald. How did that happen? Did he approach them with his story? Did a politician winkle him out after hearing him complain? Is he related? Do you think the Herald editor might say: … Continue reading Herald finds one ‘Spanish’ doctor to say the right thing for them about NHS Scotland’s recovery

The current 7 day average figure for new covid infections in Scotland is 17 (and falling): https://www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/ Figures for England are less clear because of the tendency for UK-wide data to be presented. However, though the ONS Infection Survey Pilot suggested more than 3 000 new cases per day, the BBC, un-sourced, suggested between 1 000 and 1 500 per day (and stalling). https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/england25june2020#incidence-rate https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274 The population of England is 10 times that of Scotland so, all things being equal you might expect an infection rate of 170. Using the above figures from the BBC and the ONS, the infection … Continue reading 3 months after divergence infection rate in England is up to 18 times higher than in Scotland risking Second Wave

The Herald’s headlines have become quite astonishing. Carnage? Don’t be stupid. There are millions on the Dorset roads and beaches and they’re not calling it that. Air unit? One helicopter which is in the air all the time looking out for incidents. Ground fleet? Several cars and vans. Drafted in? Just called for. No military mission. Evacuate? Just told to go home and mostly doing it? Somebody at the Herald needs to see a doctor. Continue reading Carnage Park Glasgow disappoints with no riot, no injuries, no arrest, no anything really

By stewartb The unreported? Talking-up the new Southern General Hospital, Glasgow countering media negativity and re-building public confidence Now that the independent review of the new Southern General Hospital (aka South Glasgow Hospital) has been published and has rebutted certain prevalent media and opposition politicians’ scares, it’s timely to amplify what the review tells us that’s positive. Source: https://qeuhprodwebsite.blob.core.windows.net/media/yutnag4j/final-report-published-version-458529_sct0220167968-002_queen-elizabeth-university-hospital-independent-review_p3.pdf Complying with guidance The report seeks in the following way to acknowledge the benefit of hindsight whilst conducting a forensic, after-the-fact review: “While establishing the infrastructure to support the QEUH Project NHS GG&C complied with available guidance. This included setting up … Continue reading Last words in defence of the truth about Glasgow’s Superhospital

In the latest of the Herald‘s nauseating clickbait campaigns we read: Ministers believe the “panic” around the Covid-19 outbreak may have led to some elderly patients being pressures into signing do not attempt to resuscitate (DNAR) orders, MSPs have heard. Indeed, we can all believe that something ‘may have‘ happened to ‘some‘ people. Anything is possible but there is no evidence for the headline implying a trend of some significance and to suggest it is a ‘panic‘ on their part, is a disgraceful slur on the reputation of Scotland’s thousands of medics. I’m sure a few relatives are justifiably worried that such … Continue reading There is no reliable evidence for this inexcusable insult to doctors

By stewartb: The Unreported? – more from the review of the new Southern General Hospital (aka the South Glasgow Hospital) Media coverage and politics The report of this independent review makes telling, if ‘diplomatically put’, comments about the public discourse around claims of what had happened in terms of infections and deaths in Glasgow’s major new hospital. It’s worthwhile amplifying these comments through the channel provided by the Tusker. Source: https://qeuhprodwebsite.blob.core.windows.net/media/yutnag4j/final-report-published-version-458529_sct0220167968-002_queen-elizabeth-university-hospital-independent-review_p3.pdf In various places in the report the authors provide this crucial context which, even as an ‘alert’ consumer of the news media in Scotland, I warrant many would have … Continue reading Media discourse on New Southern General amplified unfounded rumours

First, let’s see if we can shed some of the big earners: £165 000: Sarah Smith, Scotland Editor: She pops up on Newsnight every so often to lie about the First Minister. What else does she do? Wee Davy Lockhart can just add her duties to his. With that £165 000 we can keep 4 of the staff who do things. £150 000 or more: Donalda MacKinnon, Director BBC Scotland: She’s gone already after achieving eff all so we can save that. I’ll do it for nothing by Skype. Steve Morrison, Member for Scotland: I don’t think we need that … Continue reading BBC Scotland staff cuts: Who should go?

The current Scottish 7 day average, confirmed covid-19 death rate, is 3, less than 1 per million. A week ago it was 4. The week before that it was 6, 1 per million. The 7 day average for the USA is currently 609: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/united-states?country=~USA#what-is-the-daily-number-of-confirmed-deaths The population of the USA is 328.2 million or 60 times that of Scotland (5.45 million). The current US death rate is 200 times higher or per capita, 3.33 times higher. Now the Herald’s McArdle wants to keep digging up the past but all that does is reinforce the fact that all of those early deaths … Continue reading Three months after divergence from the 4 Nations deadly straight-jacket the Scottish Government has pushed the CURRENT death rate down to less than one-third of ‘Trump’s US’

In a survey by YouGov published on 23rd June , 24% answered ‘yes’ to this question: In your career in the healthcare sector, have you ever experienced or witnessed behaviour from patients towards medical professionals that you consider to be sexual harassment – i.e. inappropriate comments or unwanted touching? Yes, I have experienced this behaviour personally. In Scotland, the figure was 18%, significantly lower than all of the other areas except Northern Ireland (13%). The figure for the North of England was 30%, for London it was 27% and for Wales it was 26%. For all of the other areas … Continue reading Scottish health workers less likely to experience sexual harassment from patients

On February 12th 2019, I wrote: Here’s my complaint on 24th January: ‘In a report on deaths at the QEU Hospital, Jackie Bird said: ‘[T]he deaths of two patients from a rare fungal infection.’ This is inaccurate. We knew from the BBC website the same day: ‘The health board said one of the patients was elderly and had died from ‘an unrelated cause’. The factors contributing to the death of the other patient are being investigated.’  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-46953707  So in neither case did the patient die ‘from’ a rare fungal infection. One clearly died from ‘an unrelated cause’ and the other’s death was still being … Continue reading Will BBC Scotland tonight mention their apology for Jackie Bird’s pigeon lie which the editor said she had warned her about?