Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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NHS England spends ‘whopping’ 45 times as much on private providers

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By Mr Robertson, P7, Room 17, 1983 Wes Streeting, Labour Shadowy Health Secretary, two days ago, illustrating well the dangers of de-contextualised percentage figures, which my classes of 11 year-olds managed to understand but sadly, it seems, some older Scottish voters don’t and may vote Labour because of that thickness. Just for info, I taught the 11 year-olds to ask, ‘Yes, but 30% of what?‘ While, I’m on thickness, the 30% appeared with sources, for the Scottish data, in the Daily Record. NHS Consultant, Dan Goyal, replied: Scotland has spent £31m on private providers last year out of a £17bn … Continue reading NHS England spends ‘whopping’ 45 times as much on private providers

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In NHS England, you’re almost TWICE as likely to have to wait more than 12 hours in A&E

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By stewartb Yet another ‘credible’ health body takes aim at Labour’s manifesto! In two recent press statements on A&E waiting times performance, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) noted: In May 2024, 10% of patients attending A&E in England spent 12 hour or longer there = 145,094 patients (statement issued on 13 June) In April 2024, 5.7% of patients attending A&E in Scotland spent 12 hours or more there = 6,412 patients (statement issued on 4 June). This marked difference in the percentage of patients experiencing long stays in A&E – demonstrating the much better (whilst still not good enough) situation in Scotland … Continue reading In NHS England, you’re almost TWICE as likely to have to wait more than 12 hours in A&E

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An enlarged and compliant group of Labour MPs is the last thing Scotland’s public services need in the face of damning assessments of their manifesto

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“The Labour Party has not set out an overall spending plan for health and social care in England. This makes it impossible to judge the plausibility of the party’s plans” (Institute for Fiscal Studies, June 13, 2024) – so why waste a vote in Scotland on Labour? By stewartb – a long read In the next UK parliament when all roads are STILL leading back to Westminster what can we expect from a Labour government of benefit to health and social care in Scotland? With Labour’s manifesto now published, It’s worth taking a look at reactions to its policy pledges. … Continue reading An enlarged and compliant group of Labour MPs is the last thing Scotland’s public services need in the face of damning assessments of their manifesto

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67 000 in England on the NHS waiting list unnecessarily because they don’t have an SNP Government

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On the 28th May 2024, according to BBC Scotland: NHS waiting lists in Scotland have reached a record high, the latest figures show. Public Health Scotland recorded more than 690,000 waits for appointments or treatment for non-urgent care as of 31 March. According to the Health Service Journal, yesterday: In April the English referral-to-treatment waiting list grew slightly by 34,000 to 7.57 million patient pathways. These are the last figures to be published before the general election, meaning the pre-election waiting list is 358,000 larger than the figures available when prime minister Rishi Sunak said “NHS waiting lists will fall”. All things … Continue reading 67 000 in England on the NHS waiting list unnecessarily because they don’t have an SNP Government

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Ayrshire MP’s team helps local people nearly TEN THOUSAND times in only four and a half years

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Allan Dorans was MP for Ayr Carrick and Cumnock until 30th May 2024 and will be standing for re-election on July 4th Since my election in December 2019, with my team, I have responded to requests for help and advice nearly 10 000 times. We have helped, many times with constituents in real difficulty, struggling to survive, by making sure they get the benefits they are entitled to, better housing or disability support. Many write to demand fairer treatment for animals, an end to the abuse of human rights in numerous countries where the UK has influence, or improvements in … Continue reading Ayrshire MP’s team helps local people nearly TEN THOUSAND times in only four and a half years

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Answering Fiona Bruce’s sneakily selective waiting list questions with ease

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Fiona Bruce tonight, interrupting Kate Forbes more than the others and campaigning on behalf of the Union with tabloid questions, asked: Why therefore is it that the average time to start chemotherapy in England is 48 days. It’s 65 in Scotland. Why is in Scotland there are 7 000 people who’ve waited more than two years for treatment. In England it’s just over 200. 1. Cancer treatment According to BBC Health in August 2023, 21% of cancer patients waited longer than the 62-day target for treatment in Scotland. In England, it was 36%, in Wales 43% and in N Ireland … Continue reading Answering Fiona Bruce’s sneakily selective waiting list questions with ease

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Castles made of sand and radioactive particles linked to infant leukaemia – are the Ayrshire Labour candidates relaxed about that?

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Frances McKie for alerting me to this. The above two Labour candidates in Ayrshire constituencies have beaches where children play and both are, whether they want to be or not, because Sir Keir tells them to be, supporters of the reintroduction of nuclear power stations across Scotland and, in particular on the the Ayrshire coast, which is still popular on hot sunny weekends with families from all over the West of Scotland. Sand castle building is still a thing. I see them often on my dog walks. The children building them get right into … Continue reading Castles made of sand and radioactive particles linked to infant leukaemia – are the Ayrshire Labour candidates relaxed about that?

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Deadly cancer treatment delays significantly less common in NHS Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this: In the Guardian, today: The first report, by Cancer Research UK, found that 382,000 cancer patients in England were not treated on time since 2015. The charity investigated how many patients had begun treatment 62 days or longer after being urgently referred for suspected cancer. The national NHS target – under which at least 85% of people should start treatment within 62 days – was last met in December 2015. For some reason, the actual figure for those starting treatment on time is not quoted. For the period 1 October … Continue reading Deadly cancer treatment delays significantly less common in NHS Scotland

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New research shows that building ferries overseas means getting ‘the more expensive version of that vessel’

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The troubled BC Ferries, operating in the less windy and more affluent conditions of British Columbia has an appalling record of unreliability, high prices and elderly vessels, set against record dividends for shareholders. Scotland’s islanders really need to do a bit of reading on them. Late in the day, the owners have put out a global competitive call for builders of 7 new vessels. B.C. shipbuilding giant Seaspan along with unions and suppliers have launched a new campaign dubbed Build Ferries BC that aims to have those vessels built in Canada. Their call is backed up by new research. The findings are well worth considering in … Continue reading New research shows that building ferries overseas means getting ‘the more expensive version of that vessel’

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‘I’ll save the NHS. Sir Keir will let me have a go’ Another liar – the apple never falls far from the tree!

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From the Guardian in 1999: Mohammed Sarwar [Father of Anas, above], the suspended Labour MP, was yesterday accused of telling ‘a hundred lies’ over the events which led to his arrest. As he gave evidence for a second day at the High Court in Edinburgh, he admitted he had lied to his lawyer and a Labour Party investigation after a newspaper published an article that he believed would destroy his political career. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/mar/12/gerardseenan Sarwar’s promise is based on UK Labour’s promise to help Welsh Labour reverse their catastrophic failures: To read the facts, fully sourced: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=NHS+Wales To read the facts, … Continue reading ‘I’ll save the NHS. Sir Keir will let me have a go’ Another liar – the apple never falls far from the tree!