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Good news – major fall in annual trends for suspected drug deaths, A&E and hospital admissions

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland today: Drug-related data can vary seasonally, so me comparing the same quarter, in this case June-August, gives a more accurate measure of trends. First, on drug deaths: In the latest period (3 June to 25 August 2024), the total number of suspected drug deaths was 225, averaging 19 per week. The total number of deaths was 10% lower than the previous quarter (249), 13% lower than the same period in 2022 (258) and 25% lower than in 2023 (301). A suspected drug death is a death where controlled drugs are suspected of being … Continue reading Good news – major fall in annual trends for suspected drug deaths, A&E and hospital admissions

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New Tasmania ferry stupidly bought from Finland nearly 18 000 miles away, and trapped by ice, must winter in the Sunshine on Leith

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(c) Visit Scotland There are around 10 major shipbuilders in Australia, including Incat which builds large catamaran ferries, yet the Tasmanian government has made things devilishly complicated by ordering 2 new ferries from Finland which, even after a wee break in Leith, will arrive two years before the new berths are completed and have to be leased to some other island – Iceland? According to ABC, today: A newly built Spirit of Tasmania ferry will be temporarily stored at a shipyard in Scotland while the Tasmanian government explores options to lease or charter the ship until a home berth can … Continue reading New Tasmania ferry stupidly bought from Finland nearly 18 000 miles away, and trapped by ice, must winter in the Sunshine on Leith

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Scottish Cons and Labour’s attack on free prescriptions could cost thousands of lives in the next pandemic

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In the National, yesterday: SCOTS would be “perfectly happy” to see the end of universal free prescriptions from the NHS, the Scottish Tory leader has claimed. As far back as 2012, Scottish Labour would not have protected free prescriptions – Labour leader Johann Lamont has signalled a policy shift by calling for an end to a “something for nothing” culture. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13074454.lamont-calls-end-something-nothing-culture/ In September 2024, The Trussell Trust reported: 68% of working households in receipt of Universal Credit having gone without essentials, such as basic toiletries and prescriptions, in the last six months. This is only slightly lower than the … Continue reading Scottish Cons and Labour’s attack on free prescriptions could cost thousands of lives in the next pandemic

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Latest Greek ferry tragedy as everything stops in strike affecting most islands

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A late-arriving passenger pushed to his death in the screws at Piraeus, dangerously over-crowded ferries, elderly passengers having to walk through the waves onto the sand carrying their bags after jetty collapses and no winter service at all to the smaller islands in this privatised and unsubsidised system, and now a massive strike over several days which government refuses to care about. From the Maritime Executive, last week: The unions representing Greek seafarers including deckhands, dockworkers, and others on the country’s critical island ferries, are extending their strike for another two days as they demand better wages and work rules. … Continue reading Latest Greek ferry tragedy as everything stops in strike affecting most islands

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Threat of complete tourism collapse as Channel Islands government dillies but one tender seems quite unsafe

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Owned by King Charles III and run by centrist/rightist governments, the Channel Island been suffering a terrible ferry fiasco for years now with locals often unable to meet important medical appointments and businesses run businesses, especially in tourism. From BBC South-West, today: Ferry firms and business groups have called for an “immediate” decision on which company will run ferry operations in the Channel Islands from March. Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the Jersey Hospitality Association, said in a statement that the “prolonged impasse” on awarding the contract was “detrimental” to tourism. Christophe Mathieu, chief executive of … Continue reading Threat of complete tourism collapse as Channel Islands government dillies but one tender seems quite unsafe

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Falling fertility rates – Scotland leads UK in progress for women, families, societies and the environment

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BBC Health has this today: Women in England and Wales had an average of 1.44 children between 2022 and 2023, the lowest rate on record. Only 591,072 babies were born in 2023, fewer than in any year since 1977 and a fall of more than 14,000 on the previous year, figures from the Office for National Statistics, external showed. For countries to maintain their populations, the fertility rate needs to be around 2.1 children per woman. Experts say the government could introduce some policies to help. “The government could implement immediate interventions… such as offering longer paid parental leave, more funding for childcare … Continue reading Falling fertility rates – Scotland leads UK in progress for women, families, societies and the environment

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Nuclear Power Stations – Is Scottish Government being tricked by Shanks’ Trojan Horse legislation?

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I’m grateful to Frances who, after reading Labour’s new plans to streamline planning applications, wonders: This sounds ominous … Holyrood depends on  control of planning to hold back nuclear lobby? Yesterday, in the National: REFORMS to energy planning rules aimed at accelerating new clean power developments have been unveiled by the Scottish and UK governments. The Scottish Government has welcomed Labour’s announcement that they are “modernising outdated bureaucratic processes” to make it easier to develop new green energy projects. Acting Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said that the reforms – which are reserved to Westminster – would “help support Scotland realise our clean power … Continue reading Nuclear Power Stations – Is Scottish Government being tricked by Shanks’ Trojan Horse legislation?

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Rachel Reeves to fund a 0.57% increase in appointments in desperate attempt to catch NHS Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson OBA: From BBC Health, yesterday: Chancellor sets out new funding for extra NHS appointments then spells it out: The chancellor has said more funding will be provided to help the NHS deliver the extra 40,000 appointments and procedures per week – or more than two million a year – promised in the Labour manifesto. An extra 40 000, 2 million more every year? Big numbers, or are they Primary 7? From NHS England on 25 April 2024: GP teams delivered almost 30 million appointments for patients last month (March 2024), up almost a quarter on the same period before … Continue reading Rachel Reeves to fund a 0.57% increase in appointments in desperate attempt to catch NHS Scotland

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Scottish Government officers confiscate £5 million from criminals, nearly double figure for previous year., including a real Begbie,

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According to an Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, for the value of criminal assets recovered in Scotland in the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24, published today : An example of the criminals whose profits were confiscated is: Organised crime gang who supplied cocaine on a ‘wholesale level’ jailed. Four members of an organised crime gang responsible for flooding Edinburgh and the Lothians with cocaine have been jailed. Dale Cleeton was found to be the ‘driving force’ behind the group’s ‘wholesale level’ activities while imprisoned at HMP Edinburgh.  The 31-year-old’s illicit activities were uncovered … Continue reading Scottish Government officers confiscate £5 million from criminals, nearly double figure for previous year., including a real Begbie,

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Poll suggests Scottish Socialists could win 17% and 16 regional MSP seats to support and nudge a pro-independence Scottish government toward the left

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By Professor of Media Politics, Dr John Robertson, SSP Member (2024), Research Ethics Chair, Faculty of Business and Media, University of the West of Scotland, 2016 (rtd) In the 2021 Holyrood Election, the Scottish Greens won 8.1% of the Regional vote and earned 8 MSPs. The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) which had 6 MSPs back in 2003 did not participate and the Alba Party did not exist at that point.1 Opinion Polls do not include the SSP and those which do include Alba, typically, have them at between 1 and 3%, o.64% in the latest Survation poll, too low to … Continue reading Poll suggests Scottish Socialists could win 17% and 16 regional MSP seats to support and nudge a pro-independence Scottish government toward the left