Professor John Robertson OBA Today, despite two authors working on the story, the Herald’s top story has none of the context that young journos are required to have, if they want to pass 1st Year assessments. So, more than 629 000 waiting means at most 630 000? Let’s give them that. For context, to consider how bad or good that headline is, let’s look elsewhere to see if NHS Scotland might learn something. In Wales, it’s just under 620 0001 but there are only 3.1 million people in Wales and 5.44 million in Scotland, 1.75 times as many. For comparability, … Continue reading Herald confirms hospital waiting lists in Scotland far shorter than in Labour Wales with an extra 380 000 waiting longer there

Professor John Robertson OBA From People requiring a social care assessment and care at home services, published today: The number of people estimated to be waiting on a social care assessment for a package of care to enable them to live independently at home or in the community was 6,639 on 5 May 2025. This is an increase of just under 2% from the estimated number of people waiting this time last year. The estimated number of people assessed and waiting for a care at home package was 2,884 on 5 May 2025. This is a decrease of 8% from … Continue reading Scotland assesses more than THREE times as many for care home packages and provides packages for nearly TWICE as many

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Herald last year [January 2024] and across Scottish media, we saw versions of this scare story suggesting a crisis in private rented housing supply and a consequent impact on homelessness: Scotland has become the only part of Great Britain where sales of properties by landlords has gone up, amid claims that government rent curbs are forcing them out. As with their reports on ferries, it’s not true. From Housing statistics: Scottish Landlord Register data published today, we see contrary evidence of increasing private rented properties. As their Martin Williams wrote the above, in January 2024, the … Continue reading SNP rent curbs have not reduced private rented housing supply – it’s up 12 000 on 2022 and 8 000 on 2023

Professor John Robertson OBA From Acute hospital activity and NHS beds information (quarterly)Quarter ending 31 December 2024, published today by Public Health Scotland: There were on average 13,614 available staffed beds per day for all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 December 2024 – a 1.3% decrease compared to the same quarter in the previous year. An available staffed bed is a bed which is resourced for inpatient or day case care. Of these, 9,737 (72%) were for medical specialties and 3,877 (28%) were for surgical specialties. For all acute specialties in the quarter ending 31 December 2024, the … Continue reading NHS Scotland has nearly 4 000 more hospital beds than it would have if run by the UK Government these 18 years and a lower occupancy rate to help it cope with sudden surges

Professor John Robertson OBA With no new ferries even in construction and only 19 in service for 9.7 million passengers, Washington State Ferries, compares badly to CalMac’s 35 ferries plus 6 in construction serving only 5.3 million. Yet, yesterday, they claimed: Washington State Ferries says it’s returning to almost full domestic service – three years earlier than planned. https://www.yahoo.com/news/washington-state-ferries-return-almost-185152101.html You have to read the reports carefully to spot: WSDOT says the revamped seasonal schedule includes a more realistic timetable that will help vessels stay on time. It also makes crewing schedules more manageable, leading to fewer crewing cancellations. The new ‘more realistic’ … Continue reading Washington State Ferries return ‘almost full service’ but the truth is less encouraging if you read carefully – Imagine this happened in Scotland?

Professor John Robertson OBA Ireland’s GDP in 2023 was $551.39 billion with a population at 5.23 million, just under Scotland at 5.44 million. Scotland’s GDP in the same year was $2.53 billion, less than half, yet: DONEGAL TD and Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance, Deputy Pearse Doherty, has questioned the Minister for Rural and Community Development on the failure to deliver a new ferry to service Tory island. The Minister for Rural and Community Development agreed to visit Magheraroarty pier later in the summer and meet with Deputy Doherty to discuss the matter further. Teachta Doherty said: “It was a commitment … Continue reading Irish Islanders wait 8 years to hear that new ‘lifeline’ ferry to replace nearly 50 year-old Queen of Aran, is not yet even being designed, and threaten to leave