Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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NHS Scotland has already beaten the 18 week treatment target Wes Streeting set for NHS England but which they have failed

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Well done Scotland? In the Guardian yesterday, the above graph and: The NHS is set to miss key targets to shorten waiting times for help at A&E, cancer care and planned hospital treatment, leaving millions of patients facing persistently long delays. The health service in England will not deliver a series of milestone improvements in its performance that ministers demanded it achieve by the time the fiscal year ends on Tuesday, a Guardian analysis of the NHS’s most recent data has found. Streeting has repeatedly promised to ensure that 92% of people waiting for non-urgent hospital care such as appointments and operations get it … Continue reading NHS Scotland has already beaten the 18 week treatment target Wes Streeting set for NHS England but which they have failed

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Factcheck – CalMac has the youngest ferries and is the best in the world

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First, age: On average, CalMac ferries are the youngest of six comparable (several islands) fleets in the developed world. What’s wrong with them? Truth be told (difficult I know), probably best archipelago service in the world. See: Disruption to service? As Lib Dems and BBC Scotland reveal compensation to delayed passengers of only 0.1% of budget, they forget that their previous FoI revealed that CalMac is more than 97% reliable Finally, the truth about customer (real ones) satisfaction: Continue reading Factcheck – CalMac has the youngest ferries and is the best in the world

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21.6% of CalMac boats out of service but Washington State USA has had 40% out and New Zealand has had 100% out

johnrobertson834

According to STV today, CalMac has 8 ferries out of action.1 CalMac currently has 37 vessels.2 Another 3 are due from Turkey within the year.3 So, 8 out of 37, 21.6%. How unusual is that in a ferry service operating in the developed world? In May 2024, in affluent (twice the GDP) Washington State USA, 6 out of their 21 ferries, 28.6% were out of service. In November 2023, 8 out of 21 were out of service, 38%.4 In June 2024, 2 of the 5 Toronto Islands ferries were out of action, 40%. Also, in May 2024, in affluent New … Continue reading 21.6% of CalMac boats out of service but Washington State USA has had 40% out and New Zealand has had 100% out

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Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for predicted ‘Iran war’ shortages

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In the Guardian 29 March 2026: Britain [sic] is “a few weeks away” from medicine shortages ranging from painkillers to cancer treatment if the Iran war continues, according to experts, while drug prices could also rise. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/28/uk-weeks-away-medicine-shortages-iran-war-impacts-experts-warn The above makes no mention of Scotland. Searching for reports of shortages in Scotland gets the same story of shortages in England plus, When I saw the Guardian piece I was reminded of this intriguing suggestion: One potential solution lies in affording community pharmacy greater latitude in altering prescriptions – a practice that could save immense amounts of NHS funds and ease the … Continue reading Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for predicted ‘Iran war’ shortages

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‘I cannot see 408 as just a statistic’ – Thyroid cancer deaths, after Fukushima, across the World and in the Clyde

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From UCA News two days ago on Fukushima: 15 years after Fukushima, debate continues on radiation exposure – Large amounts of radioactive material were released when the magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 that year triggered a tsunami, causing meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The catastrophe killed more than 18,000 people and forced mass evacuations. It also raised fears about long-term health effects, especially among children. In response, Fukushima Prefecture launched what health professionals describe as one of the largest health surveys of its kind, covering about 380,000 residents who … Continue reading ‘I cannot see 408 as just a statistic’ – Thyroid cancer deaths, after Fukushima, across the World and in the Clyde

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Meningitis – another case for border checks

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From GB News today: Vital safety lessons from past meningococcal disease are not being acted on – with researchers saying coroners have raised the same concerns for more than a decade. Twenty confirmed cases and two deaths linked to meningococcal infection have been reported in Kent this month, in what health officials say is a fast-moving cluster affecting young people. Vaccination failures were raised repeatedly in earlier inquests. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/diseases-and-conditions/fresh-meningitis-outbreak-sparks-warnings-coroners-reports-being-ignored/ar-AA1ZCNX0 As with most vaccination programmes, the rate in England is well below the WHO recommended 95% target and significantly worse than that in Scotland. Type England Scotland Meningitis B 91% 94% … Continue reading Meningitis – another case for border checks

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Never mind those terribly inconvenient ferry delays, Scotland has by far the highest level of fuel poverty ANYWHERE in Europe after 50 years of theft by Labour and Tory governments in London

johnrobertson834

The above is frankly shocking and would still be so even if it were not for this: Why Scots have a ‘critically low’ democratic well-being score – the 50 years theft of their energy supplies for one thing? Carnegie UK today have reported (previous TuS post) that Scots have a ‘critically low‘ democratic well-being score of only 40%. Who is surprised? I’m surprised it’s not zero, same as mine. If you are at all aware of Scotland’s 300 year plus and current predicament in the Union, how could you get anywhere near 40%. Given their many problems with crap governance but at … Continue reading Never mind those terribly inconvenient ferry delays, Scotland has by far the highest level of fuel poverty ANYWHERE in Europe after 50 years of theft by Labour and Tory governments in London

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You’ll think I must be making this stuff up but English schools permanently excluded ONE THOUSAND times as many children, per head, as in Scotland but we’ll pay some of the price for that as they’re used as drug mules by the English County lines drug gangs plaguing Scotland

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Continue reading You’ll think I must be making this stuff up but English schools permanently excluded ONE THOUSAND times as many children, per head, as in Scotland but we’ll pay some of the price for that as they’re used as drug mules by the English County lines drug gangs plaguing Scotland

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Scotland avoids large classes and lack of support staff found in England to have ‘created a barrier to inclusion’

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In the Guardian today: Lack of specialist staff hinders support for Send children, teacher survey finds – National Education Union poll finds 89% feel class sizes in England are too big to be ‘properly inclusive’. Oversized classes and inadequate staffing levels are hindering teachers’ capacity to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), according to a large survey of state school teachers in England. Nine out of 10 (89%) of the 10,000 teachers who took part in the poll by the National Education Union (NEU), before its annual conference in Brighton which starts on Monday, said class sizes … Continue reading Scotland avoids large classes and lack of support staff found in England to have ‘created a barrier to inclusion’

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Birmingham measles outbreak brings threat even closer to the border with no control

johnrobertson834

Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: In the Sunday Express today, and similarly in other UK media, the above and: This follows the large outbreak reported two weeks ago in Enfield, London. In the Daily Mirror, 15 March 2026 A Victorian disease that had been eliminated in the UK has returned in 50 council areas – and a new map has highlighted the low vaccine-rate areas where it is spreading quickly. Measles infections have now been confirmed by lab tests in every region of England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed, mainly among children under 10. Enfield in London appears to … Continue reading Birmingham measles outbreak brings threat even closer to the border with no control