Key points from the above: There were 285 suspected drug deaths recorded between January and March 2022.There were 27% (108) fewer suspected drug deaths than during the same period of 2021 (January to March 2021: 393). Two-thirds (66%) of suspected drug deaths were of people aged between 35 and 54. This was broadly in line with previous quarters. There were 15 suspected drug deaths in the under 25 age group, 25% (5) fewer than during January and March 2021. There were 1,187 suspected drug deaths over the 12 months to March 2022, 20% (299)fewer than the 12 months to March … Continue reading Massive fall, as predicted here, in Scotland’s drug deaths.

In the above: Another report from Edinburgh University said 50% of all Covid-related deaths in Scotland between March and June 2020 had involved care home residents. It said Scotland had the highest rate among care home residents in the UK during the first wave of the pandemic. And it said a lack of testing before hospital patients were discharged to care homes contributed to Covid outbreaks. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61814662 The Edinburgh report is deliberately misleading. A higher percentage of Scotland’s deaths were in care homes in the first wave but there were pro rata with England, far fewer deaths overall on both … Continue reading Covid care home restrictions in Scotland caused fewer deaths says evidence

By stewartb ‘… the Tories are Scotland’s DUP …..’ So what does that make the Labour Party? Just heard David Lammy ‘CATEGORICALLY’ rule out a referendum on Scotland’s independence for at least the next TEN YEARS. He also stated that the branch office in Scotland held the same view. And why? Because ‘Labour is a Unionist party’. Now Labour is perfectly entitled to be a ‘Unionist party’ till the cows come home. That is of course NOT the (expletive) point! Who the hell is David Lammy or any political party to RULE OUT ANYTHING ABOUT democracy in Scotland? He can … Continue reading If the Tories are Scotland’s DUP, what does that make Labour?

The above in the Herald today, another desperate attempt to deny Scots their democratic rights by suggesting that a boycott might weaken the legitimacy of a referendum. From a Southeast Asia survey of politicians carried out by the Electoral Knowledge Network in 2006: Election boycotts have no place in a functioning democracy; participation being at the heart of the democratic process. However, boycotts could have a role to play in a democracy that is not functioning as it should be and where fair competition is impossible. The problem lies in determining at what point conditions for a fair election are … Continue reading ‘Election boycotts have no place in a functioning democracy’

of flexibility from Scotland’s health boards. That’s the warning from the Royal College of Nursing Scotland. Headlining across BBC Scotland but not anywhere in BBC UK, England, Wales or Northern Ireland: What is BBC Scotland’s evidence? One nurse, Johanna Black (55) didn’t want to retire. Why is only BBC Scotland with the nurses trade union’s Scottish branch onto this story based on so little hard evidence? It’s a proxy war against the SNP. See this for a reminder: All of the other BBC areas could report that Scotland has around 50% more nurses than their boards do and that its … Continue reading One nurse does not a reliable survey make!

By stewartb I’ve just used the (poor) search facility on the BBC News website using the term ‘A&E’. There can be no doubt based on the results that the BBC is opting to run negative news stories about NHS Scotland in preference to balanced coverage of the problems being experienced in A&E departments across the UK. And it is doing so without providing context or perspective in their Scotland-based coverage. To supplement the relevant perspective given on the 4 hour waiting time performance in the blog post above, here is information provided in a press release from the Royal College … Continue reading BBC Scotland opting to run negative news stories about NHS Scotland

BBC Scotland headlining the Health Secretary’s empathy becomes a story for BBC UK (bottom right): BBC England/UK, Wales and Northern Ireland have no A&E worries it seems. They must be performing better. In March 2022: NHS Scotland 71.6% seen in 4 hours NHS Wales 65.9% seen in 4 hours. NHS England 58.7% seen in 4 hours NHS N Ireland sneakily only do quarterly data and months late, so for October-December 2021, 53.1% seen in 4 hours. Sources: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ae-activity-and-waiting-times/ae-activity-and-waiting-times-month-ending-31-march-2022/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61499651 https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2021-22/ https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/hs-niwts-ecwt-interactive-q3-21-22.html Continue reading If UK’s best emergency service is ‘knackered’ what must the rest be like?

After the latest in Radio Scotland’s stalking of listeners to find anti-SNP messages, twitterati following TuS were asked what they thought of the Kaye Adams Experience. The results: Poll organiser and Psephologist to Prince Andrew, Dr Johan Rumpelstiltskin, said 98.6% of Scots do not like the Kaye Adams show but two of those responding, perhaps feeling for the apparently tired presenter, gave her an encouraging ‘braw.’ Continue reading SHOCK as TWO of Talking-up Scotland’s followers like the Kaye Adams show

By Tom Hodgens This is a long post about vision and ambition. Let’s start with a BBC article by Calum Watson from 2020 which asks the question… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51114275.amp “Why are we building gas-powered ships?” The article begins with “The two new ferries still being built in Port Glasgow have been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Glen Sannox and “hull 802″ are the first UK-built ships capable of running off liquefied natural gas, or LNG, as well as conventional diesel.” He asks “Was LNG the wrong choice – or a wise decision, poorly executed?” It continues “What is LNG … Continue reading The expertise developed in building the delayed gas-powered ferries will pay off handsomely in the years to come

Condemned as SNP incompetence by one-day-a-week Sandesh Gulhane MSP (con) whose experience as a locum was in England, this increase in locum doctor and bank nurse costs doubling in 2021/22, needs to be put into perspective. The increase is largely the result of Covid absence. The most recent figure for equivalent cost in NHS England is £6.2 billion for 2019/20, before Covid absences began to climb. Supporting the NHS to eliminate off-framework spend and helping build a sustainable workforce for the future Regular readers will remember the sums. With 10 times the population, all things being equal, the cost in … Continue reading One-day-a-week Gulhane’s former employers spend far more on locums and bank nurses