All over your MSM today, a trade union survey reported as if it came from an independent university-based research group which has to declare any interests.

SCOTLAND’S health service is facing a “perfect storm” of huge waiting list backlogs and consultant vacancies which are more than double official estimates, according to a new report. Freedom of information research by BMA Scotland suggests that just over 15 per cent of consultant posts are empty once vacancies which are not being advertised or which health boards have “tried and failed to fill” are taken into account.

Why would a vacancy not be advertised? Could it be that it only exists as a vacancy in the thoughts and wishes of individuals and not in the evidence-based assessment of need compiled by professionals employed to assess that need?

As for that language – perfect storms and exoduses – the titled rejected by Bob Marley for his album, Exodus?

Perfect storms and tsunamis have been the thing among health correspondents like McArdle, above, for some time now. In October 2020:

GPS have warned that surgeries are facing a “perfect storm” as patients who are seeking pandemic-delayed appointments, flu vaccinations and mental health issues combine to drive a surge in consultations. One doctor said his practice in Glasgow’s south side had experienced an almost 70 per cent rise in patient numbers and that he had serious concerns the pattern would continue into winter.

‘GPs’ was repeated several times but only one actually featured, Dr John Montgomery of the David Elder Medical Practice in Glasgow.

Exodus, movement of a whole people usually does sound scary but wait only 261 consultants responded and only half of them, 131, ‘said’ they would be retiring early. Now how many are in the tribe of consultants in Scotland? 5 587:

https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/workforce-official-statistics/nhsscotland-workforce/publications/01-december-2020/

So from a sample of only 4.67%, only 2.3% saying they might go early constitutes an ‘Exodus?’ Surely more a dribble?