Professor John Robertson OBA From Cancelled planned operations Month ending 31 October 2025, published yesterday, the above and: There were 27,862 operations planned to take place across NHS Scotland. This is 12.2% higher (+3,038) than the number planned a year previously in October 2024 (24,824) and the highest number of operations planned since January 2020. Overall, the number of planned operations has been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic impacted service provision. Of all planned operations during October 2025 in NHS Scotland, 783 (2.8%) were cancelled by the hospital for clinical reasons, 828 (3.0%) were cancelled by the patient, 894 (3.2%) … Continue reading Massive 12% surge in planned operations in NHS Scotland but cancellations held at only 3.2% to still deliver 97% on time

Professor John Robertson OBA From Psychological therapies waiting times Quarter ending September 2025 published yesterday: 80.7% of people started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, which is an increase from 78.3% in the previous quarter, and an increase from 80.0% for the quarter ending September 2024. Half of those starting treatment started within 3 weeks of referral. This is an increase from half starting treatment within 4 weeks in the previous quarter, and the same for the quarter ending September 2024. Of the 1,291 people aged 65+ who started treatment in this quarter, 76.7% were seen within 18 weeks of … Continue reading Massive 14% increase in psychological therapies carried out with over 65’s within target and significant increase for all ages

Professor John Robertson OBA TuS averages 1 000 visitors a day so yesterday’s 3 256 is notable. The surge was, unusually, in the early hours – see this: The previous day’s posts can only have been the attraction at that time, midnight to 0400: Here’s where the visitors were based, countries: TuS tends to get little traffic from USA or South and East Asia or these particular US cities. The fifth post about was about HIV so maybe more widely of interest but I struggle to see what interested in the first four unless, heaven forfend, my use of the … Continue reading Strange goings on at Talking-up Scotland the night before last – early morning spike, rare surge in interest from USA and perhaps suggestions of porn?

Professor John Robertson OBA The Guardian today has two big reports on leaking landfill sites in the UK (sic): UK and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies – Thousands of landfills across the UK and Europe sit in floodplains, posing a potential threat to drinking water and conservation areas if toxic waste is released into rivers, soils and ecosystems, it can be revealed. and ‘I kept smelling a horrible nasty smell’: the risks of England’s old dumping grounds – For some, the smell brings on nausea and headaches. Others fear ‘forever chemicals’ seeping into the water … Continue reading England and Europe’s hidden landfills at risk of leaking toxic waste into water supplies but Scotland’s sites are all known and level is now only one third, of that under Labour

Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald today, has: Leading scientists, land managers and environmental campaigners have set out what must be done to save Scotland’s ancient forest, saying, “we must not stand by and see them lost”. The group have published a paper outlining the steps required to overcome threats to Scotland’s “magnificent formations of nature”, Caledonian pinewoods. The risks it details include overgrazing by excessive deer numbers, inappropriate fencing, mounding and planting, and the invasion of non-native species, including rhododendrons. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25657586.snp-tree-planting-policy-threatens-caledonian-pinewoods/ I’m with the campaigners on this but, as often before, the Herald’s selective bias is revealed here. Why have they not offered … Continue reading SNP has planted nearly 20 times as many new trees as Labour Wales and more than 3 times as many as still-Conservative England