All healthcare workers in England must have a first Covid jab by 3 February and be fully vaccinated by 1 April. But some have told BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat they are hoping for a third option: finding work across the borders, where vaccination is not compulsory. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-60118776 There’s not a word in this of just why vaccinations are not mandatory across the borders with England. With that usual combination of ignorance and entitlement, the BBC does not ask the obvious question. You know the answer already. Thanks to multiple factors such as better political leadership taking the country with them … Continue reading Unvaccinated NHS ENGLAND staff to cross the border?

In the week-ending 16 January 2022, NHS Scotland’s A&E departments saw 74.9% within 4 hours, up from a glitch in the previous week when they only saw 67.4%. NHS Tayside did 94.2%. In the PM’s local health trust, The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust it was only 54.1% and that was up from November! https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-performs-weekly-update-of-emergency-department-activity-and-waiting-time-statistics/nhs-performs-weekly-update-of-emergency-department-activity-and-waiting-time-statistics-week-ending-16-january-2022/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2021-22/ Continue reading Scotland’s emergency departments significantly faster in January!

Only UK data are used in this extensive report but you knew that anyway. Here are some: Scotland’s MSM are, of course, looking at other things such as ‘failed pollution targets’, and one woman’s parking problems. But as you can see clearly above, Scotland has the lowest infection rate, it’s half that in England and less than a third that in Northern Ireland and it’s still falling even though it gets harder to do so as you reach a low level. Why is this? Better Scottish government management of the pandemic? If not why not? Is this in the public … Continue reading Scotland ‘out-of-line’ with rest of UK as Omicron’s fall continues

Infection rates for this variant of Covid were as great here as in any other part of the UK. As Scotland’s Covid infection level fell again to the lowest in the UK, the Conservatives are allowed to repeat inaccurate statistics, lies really, by BBC Scotland, unchallenged. In a trail going back to early in the month, the confirmed recorded data are ignored. You can see that after a period of lower infections in Scotland from October 2021, the Scottish Government, in mid-December, could see that the level was climbing sharply and put in place stricter measures than in England. They … Continue reading Clear proof that Scottish Government’s Covid measures worked

The National understandably enthusing but sort of ignoring a 50/50 result despite Partygate. However, looking at the polls going back to the beginning of 2021, Savanta Com Res often with the Scotsman stand out. They report 1 Yes win, 9 No wins and 2 ties after the Ipsos MORI 9% win for Yes in November. No other pollster is so good at finding NO wins. In the same period, Panelbase had 4 Yes and 6 NO. Ipsos MORI had 3 Yes, 0 No and 1 Tie. What’s going on? Sampling biases? Continue reading 50/50 from Savanta/Scotsman is good

80 miles for treatment after the area’s health board didn’t manage to recruit a specialist medic. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0013pwn/reporting-scotland-lunchtime-news-21012022 80 miles? Dundee to Edinburgh is 61 miles and Dundee to Aberdeen is 66. They’ve had to work hard with Google to get some longer ones. There are, I feel sure, many who travel further and longer. Regular readers will know that NHS Tayside’s breast cancer mortality rate is lower than most in Scotland and that it has the best performing A&E service (98% in 4 hours) in the UK, possibly in the world but, hey, they don’t want you knowing that do … Continue reading Reporting Scotland: A cancerous presence in Scottish media?

Hundreds of women at high risk of breast cancer may have missed screening appointments due to an error by NHS Lothian. Death, cancer, disease, always jumps perkily to the front of the Reporting Scotland agenda even if it’s a ‘may not have been informed’ story at this stage. Readers may remember when they accused NHS Tayside’s oncology department of being dysfunctional but were then shown to have more so themselves, by a St Andrews professor and the data. Here are some facts the Reporting Scotland team did not fancy using: Using the EASR age standardised mortality rate per 100 000 … Continue reading NHS Lothian breast cancer mortality amongst lowest in Scotland

On 7th January, wrote to BBC Complaints: 14 days later, today, I received this astonishing exaplanation: We carried an item lasting just over a minute about official figures relating to neonatal abstinence syndrome. We accurately reported the numbers of such infants notified to the authorities over the previous five years. We also carried what the Scottish Government had to say on the issue, namely that it was investing a further £250M in drug treatment and recovery services and that it was providing support to families to tackle drug use. We also carried a short clip of Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, the … Continue reading Reporting Scotland editor’s feeble excuses and lack of understanding amazes

The PM does not seem to be a sex offender in the strictest sense, maybe a bit of a pest, but for numerous other reasons he should be ejected. The UK Cons seem to be backing off as I write. But in Scotland, those courageous Con MSPs led by their leader, the hybrid MP/MSD, Douglas Ross are charging ahead with their bill to unseat MSPs convicted of a crime or who do not take part in their parliamentary duties. Readers may remember that Derek Mackay was not charged with any crime and that Ruth Davidson was renowned for never fulfilling … Continue reading Irony and inaccuracy overload as Scottish Cons lead campaign to remove offending politicians

BBC Scotland STV Scotland both headline the supposed pressure on the Scottish Government to intervene with a Canadian company to reverse its mandatory vaccine requirement. You have to read to the end of both reports to read this: “Employment law is a reserved matter and the Scottish Government has no direct power to intervene in contractual issues between companies and their employees.” https://news.stv.tv/north/union-brands-offshore-companys-mandatory-vaccine-policy-draconian Continue reading Offshore jags: Employment law is reserved to UK Government