Author Archives: johnrobertson834

From the Scottish Government today From 2008/09 to 2018/19 there has been a 57% reduction in homelessness applications from under 25’s, including a 68% reduction in applications from 16-17-year olds, compared to a reduction of 37% in all homelessness applications. https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2019/11/homelessness-scotland-2018-19-equalities-breakdowns/documents/homelessness-scotland-2018-19-equalities-breakdowns/homelessness-scotland-2018-19-equalities-breakdowns/govscot%3Adocument/homelessness-scotland-2018-19-equalities-breakdowns.pdf From Crisis: Nationally [England], 2017/18 saw a small drop in the recorded statutory homelessnessContinue reading “Homelessness under SNP falls dramatically but surges under UK Tories”

In October 2019, NHS Scotland’s A&E departments treated 85.6% of patients within 4 hours. https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Emergency-Care/Publications/2019-11-19/Summary-Weekly/index.asp In October 2019, NHS England’s Type 1 A&E departments treated 74.5% of patients within 4 hours. https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2019-20/ Only Type 1 departments, consultant-led with full resuscitation, are comparable. 11.1% is 14.89% of 74.5%. Reporting Scotland: ‘NHS Scotland fail to meet anotherContinue reading “NHS Scotland A&E was a staggering 15% better than NHS England in October”

I missed the Fostering Network’s State of the Nation report in February 2019 despite, I feel sure, blanket coverage by our MSM. It was worth reading and reporting as it contains a number of statistics suggesting foster carers in Scotland are treated better than their counterparts in non-Scottish regions. Here are the highlights: Only 41Continue reading “Research reveals foster carers treated better in Scotland, but report is rejected by BBC Scotland on advice from their Conservative minders”

https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2019/11/05/dear-boris-astonishingly-low-level-of-operation-cancellations-due-to-lack-of-staff-and-resources-despite-major-increase-in-demand/ https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2019/09/25/reporting-scotland-down-misses-more-scottish-cancer-patients-treated-within-target-time-ahead-of-nhs-england/

In a 151-page report by the General Medical Council there are no comparative statistics revealing any differences between Scotland and the UK. I often ask for such to be shared with me but never get them. I either get no response at all or I’m told, defensively, that the Scottish sample is too small orContinue reading “Scottish GPs 25% less likely to quit than others across UK”

In a report published two weeks ago, the UN Refugee Agency has drawn attention to the Scottish Government’s efforts to protect unaccompanied refugee children and has contrasted that with the lack of such care in England & Wales. Readers may remember earlier evidence of a different approach here: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2019/09/26/scotland-has-pioneering-approach-to-supporting-refugee-children/ https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2019/10/12/scotland-is-different-as-it-protects-unaccompanied-children-seeking-asylum/ Extracts from the report: LawContinue reading “Early days of a better nation? UN praises Scottish Government again”

Only BBC Northern Ireland is reporting this. It’s nowhere else, England, Wales, Scotland, even on business pages yet the implications for Scotland and Ayrshire, in particular, are worrying. These extracts are the key points: A trade expert [Professor Alan Winters director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory] has suggested more than 60% of goods enteringContinue reading “How Tory EU trade deal for Northern Ireland will sacrifice Ayrshire businesses”

As BBC UK moves on from a single day of reporting a serious crisis in NHS England, affecting thousands, BBC Scotland hammers viewers for a third day with unreliable tabloid material based on naked political scheming and exploiting patient trauma. The internet is, however, buzzing with indignation as politically savvy activists share the exposure ofContinue reading “Third day of BBC Scotland’s bloody NHS Offensive”