Author: johnrobertson834

Retired Professor of Media Politics Not-for-profit independent political analysis
Leave a comment

86% of young mental health patients seen within 18 week target as performance nears 90% target – NHS England? Don’t ask!

johnrobertson834

From Public Health Scotland, today: 86.0% of children and young people were seen within 18 weeks of referral, which is an increase from 83.8% for the previous quarter and from the 74.2% for the same quarter ending March 2023. The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services-camhs-waiting-times-quarter-ending-march-2024/ In NHS England? 18 weeks? 86%? Only 72% were seen within 52 weeks! https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wpuploads/2024/03/Childrens-mental-health-services-22-23_CCo-final-report.pdf Continue reading 86% of young mental health patients seen within 18 week target as performance nears 90% target – NHS England? Don’t ask!

Leave a comment

Psychological treatment – NHS Scotland regularly beats the NHS Wales target they cannot ever meet under Labour

johnrobertson834

From Public Health Scotland, today: 79.3% of people of all ages started their treatment within 18 weeks of referral, compared to 80.6% of people for the previous quarter, and 80.0% of people for the quarter ending March 2023. The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of people should start their treatment within 18 weeks of referral to psychological therapies. 50% of the people of all ages starting treatment started within 4 weeks of referral. 18,776 people of all ages started psychological therapies treatment in NHS Boards in the quarter ending March 2024. This is an increase of 1.7% (319) from … Continue reading Psychological treatment – NHS Scotland regularly beats the NHS Wales target they cannot ever meet under Labour

12 Comments

Starmer’s Labour Party has been captured by a small, highly determined right-wing clique

johnrobertson834

By NMRN Here is the reality and truth of Labour under Keir Starmer: Journalist Peter Osborne tweeted: “Starmer’s Labour Party has been captured by a small, highly determined right-wing clique, one that is as insouciant of Labour’s magnificent history and democratic tradition as it is contemptuous of ethnic minorities” Journalist Michael Crick interviewed: “Thinks it is disgraceful what has been going on with Labour. He said that as a self confessed Blairite and traditionally Labour right winger. I won’t be voting for Labour at this GE. The Stamerites have purged virtually everybody on the left. They purge them from being … Continue reading Starmer’s Labour Party has been captured by a small, highly determined right-wing clique

10 Comments

Latest poll has SNP retaining 35 seats

johnrobertson834

We’ve had a run of very negative polls recently, including YouGov, Savanta and Survation, based on weighting of their sample in line with the 2014 data to a ratio of 45/55 Y/N. I can’t see the weighting for this. It may have adopted the more updated 2024 data to a ratio of 49/51 Y/N weighting used by Ipsos. Today, More in Common‘s MRP poll predicts ‘only’ 13 losses for the SNP: https://www.moreincommon.org.uk/general-election-2024/mrp/ More in Common‘s founders/owners, as with Ipsos, are international and non-partisan with regard to Scotland, as far as I can see. Continue reading Latest poll has SNP retaining 35 seats

2 Comments

Scotland’s corridor care scare survey may be based on vanishingly small sample

johnrobertson834

By stewartb The RCN is not a small, not a new, inexperienced organisation. Far from it! It has a long track record of advocacy on behalf of the nursing profession. Its continuing use of the name – the Royal College of Nursing – seems like an attempt to raise its status with the public as something other than ‘just’ a trade union. The document that is the subject of the main blog post is loftily described by the RCN as a ‘Policy Report’. It has been relatively well resourced: it has two authors plus no less than 15 other named … Continue reading Scotland’s corridor care scare survey may be based on vanishingly small sample

Leave a comment

England’s Third World NHS puts Scotland at risk of deadly measles surge

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Dottie again for alerting me to this. From the Sunday Times, yesterday, the above disturbing report of cuts to vaccine programmes: As of 15th May 2024, there have been 11 cases of measles confirmed in Scotland. 1 When in February there were 5, all were ‘linked to travel’ ie not due to infection within Scotland. 2 According to the ONS, 26 March, 2024: In the UK, 24-month coverage of measles, mumps and rubella first dose vaccination (MMR1) remained at 89.9% 3 In January 2024, from the UK Government: In order for our measles, mumps and … Continue reading England’s Third World NHS puts Scotland at risk of deadly measles surge

7 Comments

Scotland’s corridor care myth as less than 2% respond to survey

johnrobertson834

The Guardian and the Daily Record today have Rise in hospital ‘corridor care’ is national emergency, union warns Scots nurses set to declare ‘national emergency’ due to hospital corridor deaths Tellingly, the Daily Record uses an ITV rather than STV image. Both the Anglocentric Guardian piece and the patched up Record piece are based on: Corridor care: unsafe, undignified, unacceptable published today by the RCN. In it we see: Statement: clinical care took place in an inappropriate environment e.g. an additional bed in a bay, waiting room, a corridor or a location not designed for patients. to which 38% of … Continue reading Scotland’s corridor care myth as less than 2% respond to survey

1 Comment

Cancer rate growth among under-50s in Scotland increasing by less than 1%

johnrobertson834

From the Guardian’s Chicago health editor (?) today: The number of people under 50 being diagnosed with cancer in the UK [sic] has risen 24% in two decades, a sharper increase than any other age group, according to figures experts say are likely linked to soaring obesity levels, cheap junk food and inactivity. https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/02/cancer-rates-under-50s-rise-24-percent-obesity-junk-food-inactivity From Public Health Scotland in March 2023 (latest data), in the 5 year period 2017/2021, there were 15 527 cases among those 0-49 years and in the period 2016/2020, there were 15 403. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancer-incidence-in-scotland/cancer-incidence-in-scotland-to-december-2021/ That’s a statistically insignificant increase of 124 or 0.8%, less than 1%. … Continue reading Cancer rate growth among under-50s in Scotland increasing by less than 1%

14 Comments

Survation and YouGov stuck in 2014 to bias their polling

johnrobertson834

In their most recent poll, in January 2024, Ipsos Scotland got: Yes 50% No 44% For Westminster SNP 39% and Labour 32% Last week and being trumpeted as more bad news for John Swinney, Survation got: Yes 38% No 45% SNP 28% Labour 31% YouGov had identical results the week before. Survation had this sample ratio weighted according to the 2014 referendum, 10 years ago: Of those who voted in 2014, Yes 44% and No 55% with 22% of the poll those who had not voted. YouGov had the same ratio. Ipsos had this sample ratio weighted according to trends … Continue reading Survation and YouGov stuck in 2014 to bias their polling

10 Comments

German research suppressed by Labour Government and media in 2008 revealed under 5’s living near nuclear plants more than twice as likely to develop leukemia

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson I’m grateful to JB for alerting me to this. I knew nothing of it because mainstream UK media do not seem to have covered it at all. On 30th June 2011, the German Bundestag voted to phase out nuclear energy. Why? Safety was a paramount concern in the decision to phase out nuclear power: the use of nuclear energy causes highly dangerous radioactive radiation for humans and the environment and leaves behind highly toxic waste. High safety precautions must be taken throughout the entire life cycle – from the extraction of the raw material uranium to … Continue reading German research suppressed by Labour Government and media in 2008 revealed under 5’s living near nuclear plants more than twice as likely to develop leukemia