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Prisons in Scotland ‘orderly, safe, well-managed’ and only non-violent prisoners to be released early

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severe pressure but they are certainly not broken. They are all orderly. They are still safe. They are still well-managed. The Chief Executive of Scottish Prison Service said the above and on Reporting Scotland, to be fair. Media coverage more widely, of course, is working up a scare over ‘SNP soft touch’ early release and carefully hiding the key fact that violent and sexual abuse cases will not be released early. Indeed, BBC Scotland’s full report on the website takes 8 paragraphs before mentioning quietly this: The proposals, if implemented, would not apply to those who are serving an extended … Continue reading Prisons in Scotland ‘orderly, safe, well-managed’ and only non-violent prisoners to be released early

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Patient safety – NHS Scotland has ‘top pillar’ safety programme and all of our hospitals are safe unlike in some other places

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By Professor John Robertson The Herald today has a scare story about Glasgow Royal but with, of course, little informative value. First, from the Westminster (UK Parliament) Health Committee, in January 2022: The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP), introduced by the SNP Scottish Government in 2007, has been praised by a leading European expert on patient safety. In Westminster’s Health Committee, Dr Pelle Gustafson, CMO at Swedish Patient Insurer, responded with “Scotland”, when he was asked which country he would hold at the very top pillar with regards to patient safety.  Dr Gustfason said: “If you take all preventative work in regard … Continue reading Patient safety – NHS Scotland has ‘top pillar’ safety programme and all of our hospitals are safe unlike in some other places

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Oxford research proves Jackie Baillie’s support for UK Labour’s privatised health strategy will lead to ‘worse patient care’

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By Professor John Robertson In the National today: Jackie Baillie has suggested the Scottish Government should follow Wes Streeting’s plans for heavier involvement of the private sector in the NHS. It comes after Streeting promised to go further than Tony Blair in making use of the private sector to ease NHS pressures. https://x.com/ScotNational/status/1810259280970268917 From Oxford University researchers reported in The Lancet, on 29 February 2024: A new review has concluded that hospitals that are privatised typically deliver worse quality care after converting from public ownership. The study, led by University of Oxford researchers, has been published in The Lancet Public Health. … Continue reading Oxford research proves Jackie Baillie’s support for UK Labour’s privatised health strategy will lead to ‘worse patient care’

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Housing incoherence – Scottish Labour branch try to use their UK Labour privatised strategy to suggest the Scottish Government do more with state funds

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In a speech today, UK Labour Chancellor makes it very clear that their housing strategy is based entirely on private investment and, of course, subsequent private sector costs for decades to come. Yet, in the Daily Record today; Labour MSP Mark Griffin said: “Scotland is in the grips of a housing emergency, but the SNP’s response has been woeful. “At a time when we need urgent action to boost housebuilding, the SNP has slashed the affordable housing budget and is gearing up to ditch its flagship affordable housing target. “Rachel Reeves is leading the way with Labour’s transformative plans to … Continue reading Housing incoherence – Scottish Labour branch try to use their UK Labour privatised strategy to suggest the Scottish Government do more with state funds

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Voters in Wales are less than convinced about Labour’s track record

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By stewartb The BBC News website’s Wales section today has this headline: ‘Low Welsh voter turnout appalling, says Kinnock’. It reports that: ‘In Wales, only 56% of voters filled out their ballot papers, compared to 60% across the UK, and 67% in Wales last time out in 2019.’ (In Scotland the overall turnout was 59%, down 8.4% from 2019.) And: ‘Despite winning the majority of seats, Labour’s vote share in Wales actually dropped, down from 40% to 37%.’ ‘… every Welsh constituency saw a decline compared to the previous election.’ So the impact on the 2024 GE of Labour having a long record in government in Cardiff whether on … Continue reading Voters in Wales are less than convinced about Labour’s track record

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Increase in funding for already better-staffed midwifery services

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In January 2024, the Daily Mail reporting a drop in the number of midwives, had: Women are dying during childbirth at the same rates as two decades ago, ‘alarming’ new data shows. An independent review into maternity deaths showed 293 women died during pregnancy and within six weeks of giving birth between 2020 and 2022. Experts said the upward trend is the most compelling evidence yet that failures now span ‘across the entire maternity system’ and is ‘not just one or two hospitals.’ The overall rate in 2020-2022, was 13.41 deaths per 100 000 births and based on the graph … Continue reading Increase in funding for already better-staffed midwifery services

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Massive fall in reconvictions per offender

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From the Scottish Government today, the recidivism rates: The reconviction rate increased by 2.6 percentage points over the last year from 24.3% in 2019-20 to 26.9% in 2020-21. The average number of reconvictions per offender increased by 8% in the same period from 0.41 to 0.44 (Table 1). After last year’s COVID-19 impacted decrease, the increase in the reconviction rate and average number of reconvictions per offender still remains at one of the lowest levels recorded. The most recent figures are still lower than those ten years ago. Between 2011-12 and 2020-21, the reconviction rate has fallen by 2.8 percentage points … Continue reading Massive fall in reconvictions per offender

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SNP worries of little consequence for the No/Yes movement as the gap narrows steadily and uninterrupted

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The graph of the last 40 weeks, a time of uninterrupted media carpet bombing of the SNP and protection of Labour from scrutiny and the wider movement narrows the gap with no apparent effects from either. It’s been a bad time but we’re still on the same road. Continue reading SNP worries of little consequence for the No/Yes movement as the gap narrows steadily and uninterrupted

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BBC News everywhere else but in Scotland where the ‘SNP disaster’ must be hammered home

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BBC England, 4 days after the election, back to business – news. BBC UK, same. BBC Scotland, still drooling and reminding Scots who is in charge and imagining an SNP civil war. BBC Northern Ireland? No need to encourage those republicans? BBC Wales is as in Scotland – Polls suggest support for Yes dangerously up at 33% from only 10%, ten years before. Continue reading BBC News everywhere else but in Scotland where the ‘SNP disaster’ must be hammered home

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England’s gangland bosses breaking Scotland’s prison system

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Neil Mackay in the Herald today has: Scotland’s gangland bosses break the nation’s ‘failed’ prison system. Jails are bursting at the seams, staff are exhausted, and as police arrest more and more organised crime members, Scotland’s prisons are in turmoil. Our Writer at Large reports IT sounds like life for prison officers at the height of Ulster’s Troubles: intimidation, threats to kill, assassination plots, fire-bombings, and looking over your shoulder when you clock off and walk through the jail gates. Given that overall crime is down by 40% since the SNP came to power in 2007, organised crime based on drugs, prostitution, … Continue reading England’s gangland bosses breaking Scotland’s prison system