I’m off on a bit of tangent here but still talking-up Scotland I think. From the Smithsonian Magazine yesterday: Buried in a field near Carleith Primary School in West Dunbartonshire in Scotland is a piece of history that eluded archaeologists for hundreds of years. In 1707, antiquarian Robert Sibbald described a Roman fortlet in the area, but attempts to find it during the 1970s and 1980s were futile. Now, thanks to advances in technology, archaeologists have been able to find the structure that was once believed lost to time. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-lost-roman-fort-in-scotland-180982055/ Even after reading a few books on Scottish place names, … Continue reading Archaeologists Discover Lost Roman Fort in Scotland

From Public Health Scotland, yesterday: More than four fifths (81.1%) of people commenced psychological therapy based treatment within 18 weeks of referral in the quarter ending 31 December 2022, similar to the previous quarters. Over two thirds (70.1%) of children and young people started treatment by specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health services within 18 weeks of referral in the quarter ending 31 December 2022. This is an increase from 67.9% in the previous quarter, and similar to 70.5% for the quarter ending 31 December 2021. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/mental-health-quality-indicator-profile/mental-health-quality-indicator-profile-25-april-2023/ Continue reading More than 80% get psychological treatment within target time!

From Public Health Scotland, yesterday: The average weekly number of naloxone administration incidents [by Scottish ambulance staff] was broadly stable between December 2022 and February 2023 (61 incidents per week). The total number of incidents during this time period was lower (793) compared to the same time periods in 2020 (998) and 2021 (920). That’s a 14.4% fall after a 7% fall, in the last 2 years. The average weekly number of drug-related attendances at emergency departments was stable between December 2022 and February 2023. A total of 1,118 attendances were recorded in this period – 13% lower than in … Continue reading Scotland’s drug ‘crisis’ abating further but to media silence

Waiting, watching, holding their breath, as NHS Scotland’s A&E performance consolidates, they spot a bit of ‘worsening!’ In week ending 16 April 2023, down from 64.9% seen within 4 hours in the previous week to…..wait for it…..63.4%…a whole 1.5%!!! But, Dad, that’s not significant. You get weekly variations like these below, all the time. Monthly figures would be better. 64.9% seen in 4 hours in week-ending 21 August 2022 and the very same on 9 April 2023 and way up on 55.9% in January 2023. So, what’s the trend? Anyhow back to the monthly figures. In March 2023, it was … Continue reading A&E waiting times steady at 14% better than NHS England

The total number of individuals waiting for an assessment by social care services and the number of people waiting for a package of care at home, continues to fall in Scotland. There are just over 6 700 waiting on a social care assessment to enable them to live independentlyat home or in the community, down 11% in just 4 months, from 7 500 at the beginning of 2023 There are just over 4 100 who have been assessed but are waiting for a package to be developed, down 20% from around 5 100 at the beginning of 2023. A total … Continue reading SHOCK: More than 4 times as many waiting for care at home in England than in Scotland

In Politics UK today: During questions to the Department for Work and Pensions, the topic of welfare support for those with disabilities was raised. Conservative (!) MP Theresa Villiers said her constituent had described the claiming process as a ‘battle’ with consistent hurdles.  https://www.politics.co.uk/parliament/disabled-people-are-describing-the-welfare-system-as-a-battle-with-constant-hurdles/ Pretty mild stuff, I suppose, compared to this only last June: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ignored leading academics after they published “hugely alarming” research that linked the work capability assessment with 600 suicides in just three years, the Disability News Service reports. The failure is just the latest evidence to show how the … Continue reading ‘Over 90% have good experience of Social Security Scotland’

In Politics UK today: During questions to the department for work and pensions, Labour MP Holly Lynch told a story of how she had received a letter from an elderly constituent who was just above the benefit threshold and who is complete desperation. “I cannot afford to live” he said, and signed the letter of as ‘Yours, truly, broken.’ https://www.politics.co.uk/parliament/pensioners-in-poverty-are-writing-letters-of-desperation-to-their-mps-as-they-cannot-afford-to-live/ Lynch is the MP for Halifax. Context is always important if rarely there in journalism. Here are two pieces: First, while pensioner poverty is always to be deplored, other groups are more likely to be in poverty. See: Second, while … Continue reading Putting pensioner poverty in context

For some time during the pandemic, the Herald had the above plea. Today, the Herald’s Tom Gordonstoun repeats, way down the page this, on Keith Brown’s claim: That’s all Tom has; a quote from the Scottish Cons? The often maligned Conor Matchett has this: But surely these opposition politicians cringe in embarrassment when confronted with the reality of what their respective parties are doing in government. Voters watch on as a Tory UK Government continue to ignore and throttle freedom of information, delete potentially important private messages and stamp down on transparency. https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/analysis-on-transparency-it-is-pot-meet-kettle-for-snp-and-tories-3461814 And back in 2015, this: Continue reading Herald’s Tom Gordon living in parallel universe with trusted quality boast

From BBC wales today: Wales does not have a functioning NHS and people do not have faith in it, claims the head of a doctors’ union. Dr Iona Collins, of the British Medical Association in Wales, said people suffering with chest pain “don’t even know” if an ambulance will come. On the different figures for the longer waiting lists, he added: “It’s probably true that the health services in England and Scotland have put a particularly aggressive emphasis on cutting off the longer waiters first, and had some success in doing that. However, when you compare Wales to Scotland and … Continue reading Welsh Labour Government NOT accused of failing thousands of patients