By stewartb Headline: Fewer ambulance 999 calls to be classed as ‘life-threatening’ – by Nick Triggle, BBC Health correspondent (13 July 2017) ‘Fewer 999 ambulance calls will be classed as life-threatening and needing a super-fast response in the biggest shake-up of the service in 40 years. ‘The move by the NHS in England – and agreed by ministers – will result in about 8% of call-outs being classed as needing the quickest response. ‘Currently half of call-outs are, but many are not serious or could wait longer for paramedics to arrive.’ (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40592286 ) This article (of course!) gives no indication of … Continue reading NHS England risked lives by changing 999 rules for ambulances in 2017

BBC Scotland launches another of its campaigns to unseat an SNP minister. This rodent-like behaviour is familiar: They found two, two. They found four pupils and one geography teacher, out of many thousands, prepared to moan. The former teacher, above, and others could smell a rat: BBC UK/England, Wales and Northern Ireland do not use this unprofessional approach: Continue reading Ambulance chasing at its most fetid

Once more Scotland’s media exploit a well-intentioned comment by an SNP minister to call for their head yet, elsewhere in the UK things are different: The minister is not asked. No heads are called for. There is no suggestion of lives at risk. The media largely side with the health trust. Again no minister is expected to comment, no heads must roll. There is no suggestion of lives at risk. The media again uncritically supports an appeal by the health trust and notes: The trust is not the only one to make such a plea. In the past 10 days, … Continue reading Think twice or stay away?

Once more, BBC Scotland reports on care home deaths carefully obscuring the role of the private sector. After more than a year attempting to associate the Scottish Government with these deaths, the truth is emerging and we now know that private care homes, especially the larger, corporate-owned homes more reliant of agency staff, are to blame. While the likes of Ian Murray or Anas Sarwar might repeat disproven allegations that hospital discharges were to blame, this thesis is mostly abandoned now. Look at this account: Two residents have died in a Covid outbreak at a care home in the south … Continue reading Protecting the guilty in care home deaths

By stewartb: I see the Scotland section of the BBC News website joins in the quite remarkable mainstream media and opposition party ‘outrage’ after the Scottish Health Secretary reportedly said on Radio Scotland that people should only call an ambulance if ‘absolutely critical’. The BBC website notes: “Scotland’s health secretary has been warned he could put lives at risk after urging people to “think twice” before calling an ambulance. Opposition politicians condemned the comments, which were made in a BBC radio interview, as “reckless” and worse. No doubt we will have more of this on Reporting Scotland this evening (Wednesday). … Continue reading Think twice

Research from Bournemouth University has raised the possibility of future flooding at the Coulport, Faslane, Barrow-in-Furness and Devonport sites. Responding to the report, British Pugwash Secretary Andrew Gibson said: “Dr Brown’s paper demonstrates that a combination of natural and man-made defences mean flood risk is currently manageable at the Trident sites. However, we have every reason to believe sea levels will rise over the coming decades, increasing the risks. This has implications for long-term nuclear defence planning, in terms of adaption, regulation and cost.” https://britishpugwash.org/new-research-on-climate-change-impacts-on-nuclear-security/ Full report at: Click to access ClimateTrident-report-PDF-British-Pugwash-2021.pdf Related: https://www.robedwards.com/2011/10/floods-or-earthquakes-could-cause-radiation-leak-says-bomb-factory-1.html Continue reading Trident sites at risk of flooding

From SNP Media: Mhairi Black MP has challenged the six Scottish Tory MPs to finally stand up for people in Scotland and vote against planned cuts to Universal Credit – if it is pushed to a vote today in the House of Commons. It has been reported that the Labour party will use their Opposition Day Debate to push for a vote on the UK government’s planned £20 a week cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits. The move will leave six million people in the UK – 400,000 in Scotland – over £1000 a year worse off at a time when furlough comes to an … Continue reading The Spineless Six

The ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail. The ‘Scottish’ Daily Express. The i ‘Scottish Edition.’ The Daily Telegraph as presented by BBC Scotland. The ‘Scottish’ Scotsman? BBC ‘Scotland’, long-time jabbers. I know it’s just a wee thing but it reveals something. Even the Clydebank post? Continue reading It’s the little things that give them away

From BBC Wales today: Labour Welsh government ministers and Plaid Cymru are in talks over a potential co-operation agreement in the Senedd. A statement from the two groups on Tuesday said they are looking at where they can work together. Labour won the Welsh Parliament election in May but did not win a majority. It means votes from opposition parties are needed to pass votes in the Senedd, such as for budgets and laws. The Welsh Conservatives dubbed the talks a “stitch-up”. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-58560721 When you see that, what do you think, straight away? Yes, Scottish Labour, sharing many of the … Continue reading Labour/Nat agreement……..in Wales

From the Herald today: More than 3,300 new cases of cornavirus (sic) have been identified in Scotland during the past 24 hours.  New statistics show that 3,375 fresh cases have been identified by the Scottish Government — a steep drop-off from yesterday’s figure of 4,241.   However, the number of people in hopital (sic) being treated for the virus has risen again, with 1,064 people currently occupying beds on wards. Yesterday’s total was 1,048. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/19579600.covid-scotland-number-new-cases-recorded-24-hours-falls-patient-numbers-rise/ On August 21st, we had 3 189 new cases. Yesterday we had 4 241, down from 5 903 but with a warning that due to a reporting issue the 4 … Continue reading Lowest number of Covid cases for three weeks but…