Scotland’s so-called newspapers have followed quickly on from BBC Scotland to froth over a fall of 3.4% in those seen within 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment, at the same time as referrals increased by 2.3%. Not good, I agree, but not, as ever, the full picture from these supposed information providers. They have not reported on the news, on the same day, that the target of 95% was almost met, with 94.1% treated within 31 days, from decision to treat to first cancer treatment. They have not reported the fall in cancelled operations … Continue reading Cancer waiting times – Scots suffer worst journalism on record

Fresh from sharing drugs with us via their county lines gangs, but with that ignored by BBC Reporting Scotland, we do get to hear about Liverpool sharing in other ways. First off: Health officials are warning that units sterilising surgical equipment in Scotland’s hospitals don’t have enough capacity to deal with major breakdowns. Support from a service in Liverpool was recently needed to maintain part (!) of NHS Scotland’s sterilisation service. And NHS Lothian has warned there isn’t enough contingency in the system. Reading the full report on their website, we see it’s only about one health board: Last year, … Continue reading BBC Scotland’s Liverpool Lie

A month ago, pollsters Redfield & Winton, with data collected on 2-5 March from 1 050, have: SNP 40% SNP Male 36% SNP Female 44% Labour 29% A gender gap of 8 points between male and female support for the SNP. One month later, as the SNP leadership is settled, Redfield & Winton, with data collected on 31 March – 1 April, from 1 000, have: SNP 38% SNP Male 31% SNP Female 45% Labour 28% A widened gender gap of 14 points between male and female support for the SNP. Redfield & Winton have no earlier polls to compare … Continue reading Polls suggest SNP leadership change is weakening support only among males

Paul Hutcheon is having a great time with the latest Redfield and Winton poll showing the Westminster voting intentions lead for the SNP narrowed to 5%. The same poll has Holyrood data too, above, but that’s getting less attention because its suggests an increased lead for the SNP and a reduced figure for Labour. We’ve seen this in the past. Some SNP supporters might be dissatisfied but there’s no way they’re letting Labour back into to power in Edinburgh. Continue reading Bums not squeaking as latest Holyrood poll has increased lead for SNP

From February 2022 to February 2023, NHS Scotland planned an increase of 13.9% in operations, from 17 539 to 18 069. In February 2023, only 2%, 369, had to be cancelled due to lack of staff or facilities, down from 2.4%, 420, in the previous month. 98% is astonishing. Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancelled-planned-operations/cancelled-planned-operations-month-ending-31-january-2023/ Continue reading Despite massive increase, NHS Scotland was ready to perform 98% of operations on time

From Public Health Scotland today: The 31-day standard states that 95% of all patients should wait no more than 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment. 6,757 eligible patients were referred within the 31-day standard, an increase of 4.7% from the previous quarter, and an increase of 5.8% from the quarter ending 31 December 2019. 94.1% of patients started treatment within the 31-day standard, compared with 94.4% in the previous quarter, and 96.5% in the quarter ending 31 December 2019. The 31-day standard was met by 9 of the 15 NHS Boards: NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries … Continue reading Cancer treatment – 94% treated within 31-day target despite increase in referrals

In February 2023, University Hospital Ayr saw 63.1% of attendances in 4 hours, up from 63.1% and 59.4% in the previous two months. In the same period, University Hospital Crosshouse, saw 68.1% of attendances in 4 hours, up from 64.3% and 63.9% in the previous two months. In PM Sunak’s patch, NHS Humber And North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, the figure was 52.3% Sources: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ae-activity-and-waiting-times/ae-activity-and-waiting-times-month-ending-28-february-2023/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2022-23/ Continue reading Ayrshire hospitals improve A&E services for second month in a row

In February 2023, NHS Scotland saw 69.7% of patients within 4 hours, up from 68.7% and 62.1% in the previous two months. Despite cheating by restarting the clock after patients have been triaged, sometimes hours after arriving in A&E departments, NHS England only manged 56.8% in 4 hours. NHS Scotland is thus performing 22.7% better. Sources: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ae-activity-and-waiting-times/ae-activity-and-waiting-times-month-ending-28-february-2023/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2022-23/ Continue reading NHS Scotland’s A&E improves for second month in a row and is now 23% faster than NHS England

In the last few minutes from BBC Scotland: Almost three in 10 patients being referred with urgent suspicion of cancer are waiting longer than the 62-day target for their first treatment. New figures from Public Health Scotland showed performance against the target fell to 71.7% in the last three months of 2022. The rate was the lowest since records began a decade ago. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65174714 Only BBC Scotland is covering cancer waiting times and, of course, is not offering any context, in the way they so love to do with drug deaths. Here’s the context: From UK Parliament research briefings on … Continue reading BBC Scotland can only criticise the best by far cancer waiting times performance in the UK

In the 50 polls during the time Richard Leonard was Labour leader in Scotland, they averaged 20% support for Labour. Since Sarwar was elected in February 2021, in 28 polls, they have averaged 21%. Go home and prepare to return to the council chambers! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2021_Scottish_Parliament_election Continue reading Sarwar improves on Leonard by only 1%!