Author: johnrobertson834
Retired Professor of Media Politics
Not-for-profit independent political analysis
‘The contempt was all the more serious because it was committed by the Prime Minister, the most senior member of the government’
Scotland’s far superior cancer waiting times and BBC Scotland’s hoped-for but imagined ‘pandemic of cancer death’
First thing today, Reporting Scotland Down tell us: The most recent data show record numbers of people waiting over two months to start treatment after an urgent suspicion of cancer. They then use one Ayrshire woman with no explanation of how she came to be interviewed, to say: …we are going to enter another pandemic, people to fight on with cancer because this has been left for too long.. As often with Reporting Scotland Down, no statistics because they don’t fit. First, quickly on the ‘pandemic of cancer‘: Over the 10-year period from 2012 to 2021: The age-adjusted cancer mortality … Continue reading Scotland’s far superior cancer waiting times and BBC Scotland’s hoped-for but imagined ‘pandemic of cancer death’
Access to dentistry climbs to record levels – Reporting Scotland down by avoiding a collision with the facts
On a morning of particular talking-down, Reporting Scotland Down have the above, followed by: ….or impossible to find and NHS dentist nearby and whether the crisis has led to more problems now because of missed check-ups. Note the use of the word ‘crisis’ to refer to a rumour. The evidence once more: From Public Health Scotland in January 2023: 95.4% of the Scottish population were registered with an NHS dentist as at 30 September 2022. Nearly all adults living in the most deprived areas were registered with an NHS dentist in September 2022, compared to 91.9% in the least deprived areas. … Continue reading Access to dentistry climbs to record levels – Reporting Scotland down by avoiding a collision with the facts
Scotland’s drug deaths – the TREND is still downward
The media are making much of a slight upturn in the last two quarters after six quarters suggesting a fall in suspected drug deaths. The variation from one quarter to another is not a trend but that over twelve, three years, may be. After climbing to the beginning of 2021, with variations from one quarter to another and with plateaus, suspected drug deaths clearly fell until Q3 in 2022. The last two quarters suggesting another plateau, even a slight increase, might, might, indicate the beginning of a worrying upward trend but equally, like the plateau in 2019, be followed by … Continue reading Scotland’s drug deaths – the TREND is still downward
We’re reported to, not for.
Reposted in TuS, from DruFastDruFurious today in r/Scotland: Compare and contrast the media’s line and focus. £600,000 of SNP members’ money goes missing = Leading figures arrested. Doctored images from 2017 claiming to show the old FM in a police car are splashed across front pages. This is truly the worst financial scandal in Scottish political history, so say the headlines At least £10,000,000,000 of taxpayers’ money (maybe several times this) goes missing during Covid = The media moves on. No arrests are made. The chancellor at the time is later elected Prime Minister. £100,000,000 on delayed ferries. Inefficient shipyard … Continue reading We’re reported to, not for.
What have the Brexiteers ever done for us?
Sturgeon’s ‘vital’ legacy policies could take nearly a million English children out of poverty but Reporting Scotland Down say….
It is estimated that 90,000 fewer children will live in relative and absolute poverty this year as a result of Scottish Government policies. The Scottish Government analysis is published alongside the first annual report on its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’. The report sets out progress made on the four year plan, including that an estimated £3.03 billion was invested across a range of programmes targeted at low income households in 2022-23, with £1.25 billion directly benefiting children. The report also details key actions to help households and address the three main drivers of poverty – … Continue reading Sturgeon’s ‘vital’ legacy policies could take nearly a million English children out of poverty but Reporting Scotland Down say….
Chronic pain waiting time performance improves despite increased referrals!
From Public Health Scotland, yesterday for the quarter ending 31 March 2023: Referrals to a chronic pain clinic are now back to levels seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the quarter ending 31 March 2023, 5,049 patients were referred, an increase of 5.5% on the previous quarter, when 4,787 patients were referred. Referrals are up by 4.3% compared to a year earlier, when there were 4,839 during the quarter ending 31 March 2022. There were 2,185 patients seen at a consultant-led chronic pain clinic during the quarter ending 31 March 2023, compared to 1,890 in the previous quarter, an … Continue reading Chronic pain waiting time performance improves despite increased referrals!
Junior doctor strike only matters in Scotland
At last BBC Scotland has its first health worker strike after weeks and months of watching impotently as junior doctors, nurses and ambulance staff walked out across England. They’ve made it the big story of the day. BBC England and UK have noticed but have not made it the headline story. The BBC England regions are not even reporting it at all. BBC Scotland have fully politicised the report with this choice image of the Scottish Health Secretary and platforming of THREE opposition parties including farcically the smallest, FIFTH largest, party: Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane urged the … Continue reading Junior doctor strike only matters in Scotland
