By stewartb: An article on the BBC News website today offers a further example of how the BBC seems determined to muddle – or something else – its reporting of Covid statistics. The article in question is under the headline: ‘Covid-19: Concern at ‘unprecedented’ infection level in England’. These are the opening three paragraphs: Para 1: ‘England’s “very high” Covid infection level is a “growing concern” as the NHS struggles to cope with rising patient numbers, a health official has said.’ So it’s about England then? Ah, well maybe not! Para 2: “On Monday, a record 41,385 Covid cases and … Continue reading Obscuring the facts?

As we witness soaring Covid cases up to and beyond the First Wave peak, in the hospitals of England and Wales, but a flattening well below the peak and now a fall in NHS Scotland, I’m reminded of something Andrew Marr said in his interview with Nicola Sturgeon in November: What about people dying in Scottish care homes? Again, we have gone back to the data and looking at a report by the University of Stirling – 47% of the deaths in Scotland were in care homes. That’s a lot, lot higher than in England where it was 30%.  Leaving … Continue reading Did Andrew Marr unwittingly reveal success of Scottish hospitals?

After hearing of the statistical fact that Covid-related hospital attendance in England has reached the peak of the first wave and that staff are once more in the ‘eye of the storm‘, we hear also: ‘In Scotland, doctors say there is a danger that services will be overwhelmed.’ The ‘doctors‘ turn out to be the trade union leader of the BMA in Scotland. There’s a good reason why BBC UK have not felt able to refer to any statistical facts for Scotland. Here are the facts for NHS England after years of Conservative government. In Wales, stewarded by Labour for … Continue reading It IS under control

As case numbers surge and ambulances queue outside A&E departments in London, case numbers fall in Scotland and there are no media images of ambulances queuing here to be found. BBC Scotland cannot face the fact of Scotland’s better performance in this pandemic and so give us this: This meaningless statistic has been chosen out of desperation to remind Scots that we are no different and, crucially, to allow no suggestion that the SNP administration might have done better. With the current infection rate in England around 3 times higher and the level over the whole pandemic, 60% higher, the … Continue reading Desperate to seem the same

With an infection rate today only one-quarter of that in England and only one-fifth of that in Northern Ireland, only one ‘leading academic’ (me) seems willing to suggest that ‘We are doing better. It’s not just the communication.’ ‘Wait’, I hear Sarah say, ‘that’s just one day. You need at least the 7 day average.’ Oh, OK: ‘Ah, the infection level in England is not even three times as high. That’s not highly significant, is it?’ Oh yes it is. Massively so. Something very different is happening in Scotland. Here’s my guess: Better communication has resulted in greater confidence in … Continue reading Scotland still failing to keep up? Come on all you chicken profs!

‘Across the UK’ is the first sign of what is to come. Then it’s ‘as the number of Covid infections continues to rise across the UK.’ Are they? No. 967 today and 740 cases yesterday. 1 149 the day before. 1 314 cases on the 24th and 1 504 on the 21st. A few minutes later: ‘In Scotland, clinicians are issuing another warning – that the NHS could be overwhelmed and are appealing to adhere to Tier (sic) 4 restrictions after they were eased on Christmas Day.’ A strangely cheerful Prof Jackie Taylor came on to warn us Jocks not … Continue reading Never mind the facts, we can be included in the ‘Great NHS overwhelming’ too

In November, NHS England’s A&E departments saw 76.8% of patients within 4 hours. In the same month and in a colder climate, NHS Scotland’s A&E departments saw 88.5%. Depending on how you do the sums, NHS Scotland was 11.7% better or 15.2% (11.7% of 76.8) better. NHS Scotland saw 98% in 8 hours. NHS England did not report that one. Turned into a herald headline: ‘Injured patients wait billions of hours in A&E!’ Sources: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2020-21/ https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/health-services/hospital-care/nhs-performs-weekly-update-of-emergency-department-activity-and-waiting-time-statistics/8-december-2020/ Continue reading Scotland’s emergency services so much faster

Hospital-acquired Covid-19 numbers fall again, four weeks since BBC Scotland health correspondent, Lisa Summers, tweeted happily to warn the public of an increase to a whopping tenth of the level in NHS England. Summers did not, of course, mention NHS England and the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine which exposed the situation there has not repeated its October 30th study. I’ll ask them. ‘They’ll need a bigger spreadsheet?’ As far as I can see the UK press have not returned to the story after this in the Telegraph on the 10th December: Maybe Disclosure Scotland are working on it? Continue reading Scottish hospitals so much safer

It’s almost perfectly bad but surely a child’s face with a well-placed tear could be found? Better still, combine that with one of Jeanne Freeman and Nicola Sturgeon looking angry? I know, Alex Cole-Hamilton, when he comes up with the idea for the Herald story! The Lib Dems and the care of kids is a theme that needs some work after the UK leader, David Steele, recommending the serial paedophile, Cyril Smith, for a knighthood and then their Scottish leader, Willie Rennie, refusing to condemn Steele for turning a blind eye to the abuse. Makes you wonder why the Herald … Continue reading Lib Dems care about kids SHOCK as children wait 19 weeks for treatment

Not for the first time, stewartb and legerwood, have dug a bit deeper than I have. Yesterday I fired both barrels at Reporting Scotland and the Royal Colleges. I remain suspicious of the wider political agenda of the latter but it’s clear, from that digging that they were misrepresented by BBC Scotland. First, the actual statement: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish public has continued to play a key role in fighting this virus by following the rules and minimising contact with others, especially indoors. We know there is hope on the horizon with the roll-out of a national immunisation … Continue reading Royal Colleges framed by BBC Scotland to suit their anti-SNP agenda