Professor John Robertson OBA Seeing the Guardian report today on the massive shocking scandal at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, I was reminded of the media-saturated story in 2018 – 2022, when Doctor Iain Kennedy made his name exposing bullying at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. The contrast in the media/opposition party treatment could not be sharper. First, Blackpool: In the Guardian yesterday following on from the above LancsLive piece in September 2025: The report, leaked to the Guardian, follows a series of devastating incidents at the Blackpool Victoria hospital that have resulted in multiple arrests and six members of staff being imprisoned … Continue reading Patient sexually assaulted and killed in her bed, six staff jailed including surgeon jailed for sexually assaulting five colleagues and a culture of systemic bullying and harassment in Blackpool hospital but neither health secretary nor government blamed and BBC ignore it – imagine that had been in Inverness?

Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC East Midlands yesterday, the above and: A drug addict who allowed a Nottingham-based county lines gang to use her home to store and deal class-A drugs has been sentenced. Police said Jeanette Talbot, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was given free heroin and cocaine as payment from the ringleaders, who ran an “industrial” supply network. The 12 drug dealers were jailed in June, while Talbot had her sentencing deferred to allow her to demonstrate further progress in tackling her drug habit. Nottinghamshire Police said an investigation into the drug network – which was spread across the East Midlands … Continue reading 12 Nottingham drug gang members who targeted Aberdeenshire jailed

Professor John Robertson OBA The Scotsman yesterday had the above based on a survey published by the BMA (Scotland) trade union. How many consultants and speciality associates are there in NHS Scotland? From NHS Education for Scotland (NES) – Official Workforce Statistics (June 2024 data, published September 2024): Consultants: 6,130 WTE (headcount ~7,000–7,500, accounting for part-time roles). SAS doctors: 1,300 in post (combined doctors and dentists; doctor-specific ~1,000–1,100).Total estimated headcount: ~8,500.Link: NES Turas Data Portal – Official Workforce Statistics How big and representative was the sample for the survey? ‘More than 450‘ says the Scotsman. Lets give them the benefit … Continue reading BMA Scotland humiliated and Scotsman condemned as only 5% of Consultant and SAS doctors respond to their survey with nearly 99% apparently not bothered or content

Professor John Robertson OBA From: Scottish Government’s Freedom of Information (FOI) compliance statistics: FOI release published yesterday, the above graph reveals a massive surge in FOIs answered by Scottish Government staff from the last Holyrood election and as we approach the next: https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202500482087/ A surge of around 60% from 2021 to 2024 and 20% in the year from 2024 to 2025. What is the cost? Between £300 and £450 per request so between £1.7bn to £2.5bn in total for 2024 alone https://www.gov.scot/publications/freedom-information-scotland-act-2002-information-request-handling-annual-report-2019/pages/6/ Who is making the requests? Not revealed but we’ve all see the regular ‘reveals’ by BBC Scotland and … Continue reading Cost of dirt-digging Freedom of Information requests by Press, BBC Scotland and opposition party researchers, surge to around £2bn in one year as we approach Scottish Elction in May 2026

Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald yesterday continued its Scottish Labour campaign with a report from a non-transparent think tank, Centre for Cities, to suggest it needs a mayor to tackle its productivity gap. All of the above English cities already have mayors and, other than the much larger Manchester, Glasgow leads them all From We’re Scotland’s economic powerhouse. Why doesn’t it feel like it? – A data investigation into where Glasgow’s wealth ends up, published today by The Bell: There’s a bit of a perception around the city that Glasgow has no cash — especially not compared to wealthy Edinburgh next … Continue reading How can Glasgow need a mayor to tackle a supposed productivity gap when its productivity is steadily growing and outstripping all but one English city, all already with mayors?

Professor John Robertson OBA From Scotland’s Population 2024 – The Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends published yesterday, the above graph and: Scotland’s population reached a record high of 5.55 million in 2024 The increase was mainly due to migration into Scotland https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/scotlands-population-2024-the-registrar-generals-annual-review-of-demographic-trends/# Wait, surely this cannot be happening? Aren’t Scotland’s ‘high taxes’ driving people away? See: https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/failed-snp-mp-admits-partys-35009308 Why is it happening? Scotland offers lower living costs, especially housing, compared to high-pressure areas like London and the South East. Rural and coastal regions provide a “better work-life balance” with access to nature, appealing to remote workers and families post-pandemic. … Continue reading Scotland’s lower taxes attracting skilled workers, lower living costs and better environment for families, driving flight from rest of UK

Professor John Robertson OBA From Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting timesQuarter ending September 2025, published yesterday, but still not reported by BBC Scotland 24 hours later, the above graph and: 91.5% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is a decrease from 91.8% for the previous quarter and an increase from 89.1% for the same quarter ending September 2024. The Scottish Government standard states that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral to CAMHS. The chart below shows performance in relation to this target over the past … Continue reading Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services beat 90% target for fourth time to media silence