Some readers will remember in May 2020, the sole Scottish Labour MP trying to convince his largely Tory constituents that the Scottish Government had put them at risk by covering up a Covid-19 outbreak, in late February, at a Nike conference in Edinburgh: I’ve received considerable correspondence from constituents who are seeking answers to why they weren’t informed of the Covid-19 “ground zero” outbreak from a conference at a hotel in central Edinburgh in late February. I have written to the First Minister seeking answers. ‘Considerable correspondence‘ and ‘the people of Edinburgh?‘ Hmmm. Murray went on to suggest that lives … Continue reading Ian Murray confirmed as conspiracy nut

I’m sure you remember when you first saw the above and thought how right it was. What should this affluent Tory media Universal Credit cut supporter and doctor’s background be? The poor queuing up at a food bank? I don’t have the techy skills. Maybe you do or know someone who does? Continue reading What should this self-obsessive narcissist’s background be?

New cases of Covid-19 in Scotland yesterday fell to the lowest in the UK by some way, 50% lower than in England, just over half that in N Ireland and one quarter of the rate in Wales. Scotland 1 in every 3 015 England 1 in every 1 990 N Ireland 1 in every 1 754 Wales 1 in every 795 https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases Opposition leaders have not accused the First Minister of doing well. Continue reading Scotland has lowest infection level by some way

Of all planned operations during August 2021, only 2.4% were cancelled by the hospital due to capacity or non-clinical reasons. In a huge organisation, with 160 000 staff and over 20 000 operations carried out every month, that only 2.4% are cancelled due to a temporary shortage of theatres or of staff is stunning. Zero cancellations would only be possible with the level of over-provision of high cost facilities and accommodation and over-staffing of highly paid surgeons, that no state-funded body could justify. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancelled-planned-operations/cancelled-planned-operations-month-ending-31-august-2021 Continue reading NHS Scotland’s super-efficient surgery machine

In August 2021, NHS Scotland’s A&E department’s saw 77.8% within 4 hours. In the same period, NHS England saw, on average, only 66.2% and NHS Wales saw only 60.1%. NHS Scotland is thus 17.5% faster (11.6% of 66.2) than England and 26.5% faster than Wales. The real gap with England is probably even greater as NHS England cheats. NHS England starts the clock again after patients are admitted while NHS Scotland counts from arrival in A&E.  Sources: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ae-activity-and-waiting-times/ae-activity-and-waiting-times-month-ending-31-august-2021/ https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Health-and-Social-Care/NHS-Hospital-Waiting-Times/Accident-and-Emergency/performanceagainst4hourtargetallemergencycarefacilities-by-localhealthboard https://inews.co.uk/news/health/nhs-england-covering-up-true-scale-of-12-hour-hospital-waits-1335856 Continue reading NHS Scotland’s emergency services are more than 26% faster than in Labour-run Wales

This Daily Record story yesterday has been widely ignored by the rest of Scotland’s MSM, for obvious reasons. It does not suggest any failure by the SNP Government in its management of A&E services but rather blames GPs for a failure, post pandemic, to start seeing patients again and take some of the load off A&E. Scotland does have significantly more GPs per head of population, so it’s tempting to question the commitment of some of this very well-paid group. The whistleblower is presumably just one nurse but that’s enough for Reporting Scotland to go on, typically, and to create … Continue reading Nurses side with Yousaf?

The Times (Scotland) headlining English data to feed anxiety with NHS Scotland and, of course by proxy, implicate the SNP Government, is one thing, an all-too-familiar thing, but the headline has triggered something else. The other data is from campaign group estimates and against a background of taget-busting performance in cancer waiting times. See: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/09/28/nhs-scotland-smashes-one-cancer-waiting-time-target-despite-increased-demand-and-treats-17-more-on-time-than-nhs-england/ It’s a sensitive matter but, one more time, I’ll raise it – is living with an undiagnosed cancer always a bad thing? Treatment can be extremely damaging to health and as we say in NHS Tayside last year reducing treatment does not always lead to … Continue reading The politicising of cancer may be doubly wrong

I’ve been thinking we need a short, simple, true explanation of why Scotland should be independent, that all, regardless of age, experience, background or understanding of political and economic arguments, can understand. In the early hours, just awake, it seemed that this would be more elegant in its simplicity but as I wrote things became fussy. However, waste not want, this is my attempt. Why it’s normal to be independent It’s normal. Scotland was an independent country for around 1 000 years before the union with England only just over 300 years ago. We are surrounded by independent countries, many … Continue reading Why Scotland should be independent: A simple and true story

On Reporting Scotland throughout the day today, on the website, no doubt on Good Mourning Scotland and of course in the Mail, another unfounded scare story based on a supposed crisis in the ambulance service. Here’s the gist: Police officers have “routinely” taken people to hospital in the back of police vehicles because an ambulance was unavailable, it has been claimed. The Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said officers were having to help relieve strain on under-pressure ambulance crews. It has provided records to Scottish social affairs magazine, 1919, on about 30 incidents in recent months. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58788161 So it’s a trade union-sourced story … Continue reading Police accused of only helping out with 0.02% of emergency cases?

There were1,760 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours from 19,959 new tests for COVID-19. 9.4% of these were positive. https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-daily-data-for-scotland/ This is the lowest rate since August 15th. Only 67 are now in ICU, the lowest figure since September 5th. The Scotsman is still reporting a crisis in NHS Scotland. Continue reading Covid infection rate falls to lowest for nearly two months