Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
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Despite 1 320 more referrals, Scotland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services hit 90% target for fifth time in a row but in media silence

johnrobertson834

The Child, adolescent, and psychological therapies national dataset (CAPTND) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Report published today, does not cover waiting times targets, so I used the link it had to see Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting times Quarter ending December 2025, also published today. From this, the above line graph revealing 18 months of hitting the 90% target, and: 3,767 people started treatment in CAMHS. This is an increase of 4.7% (170) from the 3,597 starting treatment in the previous quarter. 50% of those starting treatment started within 5 weeks of referral, which is the … Continue reading Despite 1 320 more referrals, Scotland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services hit 90% target for fifth time in a row but in media silence

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Major reduction in hospital delayed discharge times

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Delayed discharges in NHS Scotland monthly Figures for January 2026 published yesterday: The average (median) length of delay for people delayed at the January 2026 census was 23 days. This is less than as at the census point in December 2025 (28 days), November 2025 (27 days) and October 2025 (29 days). https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/delayed-discharges-in-nhsscotland-monthly/delayed-discharges-in-nhs-scotland-monthly-figures-for-january-2026/main-points/ How important is this kind of information, 20% reduction in median, for NHS Scotland? Short-term trend improvement — A drop from 28–29 days median … Continue reading Major reduction in hospital delayed discharge times

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Psychological therapies – 82.1% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral to narrow gap for second quarter

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Psychological therapies waiting times Quarter ending December 2025, published yesterday, the above and: 82.1% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is an increase from 80.7% in the previous quarter, and an increase from 80.4% for the quarter ending December 2024. The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of people should start their treatment within 18 weeks of referral to PT.  https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/psychological-therapies-waiting-times/psychological-therapies-waiting-times-quarter-ending-december-2025/ Media coverage? Zero. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct … Continue reading Psychological therapies – 82.1% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral to narrow gap for second quarter

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NHS Scotland ready to do 97% of more than 25 000 ops every month despite steadily increasing numbers since pandemic

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 31 January 2026 published yesterday, the above, and: There were 25,766 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 7.7% higher (+1,835) than the number planned in January 2025 (23,931). Over the course of the last 12 months, from February 2025 to January 2026 (302,449), there was a 6.1% increase (+17,490) compared to the previous 12 months (284,959). This reflects the post-Covid pandemic trend of generally increasing planned operations. Of … Continue reading NHS Scotland ready to do 97% of more than 25 000 ops every month despite steadily increasing numbers since pandemic

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Short video – Why NHS Scotland Emergency departments are not just a wee bit better than in NHS England, they’re far better!

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Facts – https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2026/03/03/in-january-2026-nhs-scotlands-type-1-emergency-departments-treated-an-extra-21-000-patients-within-4-hours-30-more-than-nhs-england-would-have-managed-to-reveal-the-gap-is-far-greater-than-report/ Continue reading Short video – Why NHS Scotland Emergency departments are not just a wee bit better than in NHS England, they’re far better!

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Bitter thegither? Another plague courtesy of brutal gangs from England into small-town Scotland

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From BBC Tayside and Central today, the above and: Police Scotland has targeted a number of suspected brothels across Stirling and Falkirk as part of a national strategy to address prostitution and sexual exploitation. The BBC was given exclusive access to a raid and witnessed officers simultaneously entering a business and a flat where they carried out searches and seized items. Officers have also undertaken welfare visits to speak to people they believe are involved in prostitution, and … Continue reading Bitter thegither? Another plague courtesy of brutal gangs from England into small-town Scotland

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Anas Sarwar and his dad’s tribute to the Ayatollah disappears completely from the BBC Scotland site in less than one day, to set record

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Only 15 hours, and he’s down at 11. When I looked earlier this morning, he was in 9th place. I checked with Wayback Machine to see where the story was yesterday when it was first posted, it seems. Around midday yesterday, it had yet to be posted yet it had fallen below the top seven stories by this morning. What did his dad say? In posts on social media, external, Mohammad Sarwar, who has also been a governor or Punjab … Continue reading Anas Sarwar and his dad’s tribute to the Ayatollah disappears completely from the BBC Scotland site in less than one day, to set record

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In January 2026, NHS Scotland’s Type 1 emergency departments treated an extra 21 000 patients within 4 hours, 30% more than NHS England would have managed, to reveal the gap is far greater than reported

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Public Health Scotland – Accident and Emergency, published today, we can see that 61.2% of 114 897 Type 1 Emergency Department patients were treated within 4 hours in January 2026.1 For NHS England in the same month only 57.3% of 823 308 Type 1 patients were treated within 4 hours.2 So, first, just comparing the percentages, NHS Scotland does 3.9% more which is 6.8% of, better than, 57.3% but there’s more. Look at the numbers attending – … Continue reading In January 2026, NHS Scotland’s Type 1 emergency departments treated an extra 21 000 patients within 4 hours, 30% more than NHS England would have managed, to reveal the gap is far greater than reported

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Disappointment in BBC News as Scotland not even half way to being ‘rape capital’ of the UK

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON BBC Reporting Scotland flying solo again to hit you with a dose of early morning anxiety, headlining with a story mysteriously and entirely absent, from their website: Why would they pull this one out for the early morning short reports where they feel they have an excuse having no context, as below? See this: Would a bit of context have been useful for readers? This kind of thing? On 25 June 2025, I wrote: The media in Scotland are … Continue reading Disappointment in BBC News as Scotland not even half way to being ‘rape capital’ of the UK

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BBC Scotland take 42 days to find a sentence to use in responding to complaint about coverage of alleged hospital deaths but carefully do not mention the very next one – ‘it is our view that, even without the infection, their survival would still have been uncertain’

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Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON No tasteless, exploitative and titillating images of dead children required here. On January 19th 2026, I sent this complaint to the BBC regarding their coverage of the QEUH water supply infections: 10 days later, they apologised for the delay in responding. In my experience, they never meet their 10 day target, suggesting they’re under pressure from unhappy viewers in greater numbers than before. 28 days later, this: We are writing to apologise that we’ve not been able to … Continue reading BBC Scotland take 42 days to find a sentence to use in responding to complaint about coverage of alleged hospital deaths but carefully do not mention the very next one – ‘it is our view that, even without the infection, their survival would still have been uncertain’