From stewartb: Not really sure how but in the course of daily browsing I came across a link to the recent Tory conference speech by the great new hope of Unionism, Douglas Ross. And I read it through. Before I get to ‘numbers’ there are some cracking phrases in it. “As if somehow Scotland leaving the UK would not wash out the Union flag” – flags, flags is that not the thing that only those nasty Scottish nationalists go on about? Apparently not. On his fellow Tories: “They too often see Britishness and Englishness as one and the same.” – … Continue reading Exposed: Douglas Ross MP and his difficulty with numbers!

For the first time since September, the 7 day average trend for infections has fallen slightly, from 1 132 to 1 129. It’s probably better to call it flat but it is a positive sign Without getting carried away, perhaps we can say that the restrictions on meetings in indoor household settings across Glasgow City, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire have not only slowed the increase but, in the last 7 days have flattened the curve even after the spikes on the university campuses. This contrast with the figures for the UK as … Continue reading 7 day average falls slightly

From Nursing Standard yesterday: A global knowledge-sharing programme to connect and empower nurses and midwives worldwide has been set up at the University of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Global Nursing Initiative will develop education programmes and research collaborations with local organisations to advance the scope of practice for nurses and midwives in areas where health systems are facing challenges such as infectious diseases, poverty, and conflict. The first three projects aim to improve care for populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and Uganda. More detail at: It’s been some time since I’ve reported on this kind of thing. Earlier examples here: … Continue reading Edinburgh Nursing Project to Help Congo, Liberia, and Uganda

First thing this morning on BBC Scotland, we hear: Ten days after tough restrictions came into force aimed at tackling a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in the Central Belt, senior clinicians from NHS Lothian say they’ve seen a dramatic rise in the number of patients admitted to hospital. At St John’s Hospital in Livingston, one Covid ward is already full and space is being created elsewhere. Staff there, say they’re worried about what the next few weeks will hold. I had to replay that opening line but I’m still unsure what they’re trying to say. Usually, for Reporting Scotland … Continue reading More Hospital admissions ’caused by’ SNP tough restrictions?

Again, early in the morning, Reporting Scotland’s editor has chosen to follow a story of only possible overload in only one hospital, in a wider system massively robust, with a tale of suffering among the country’s unpaid carers and using an extended, morbid, focus on one couple. We hear: Unpaid carers are being pushed to the limit according to a charity with the loss of vital service during the pandemic. To make that kind of claim, you’d need a strong response to your survey. I found the survey methods: Carers UK carried out an online survey between 11th and 28th … Continue reading Nearly fewer than 1% of Scottish Carers complete survey

The Guardian’s Scotland Correspondent , Libby Brooks has been a far better commentator on Scotland than most journalists with media based here but, sadly, in piece titled Reporting from Scotland: ‘Accurate and accessible reporting has never been more important’, she repeats an important inaccuracy, easily checked. On Sunday she wrote: As her most recent approval ratings testify, Nicola Sturgeon has proved herself a trusted communicator during this pandemic. Regardless, it remains critical to interrogate the substance behind that: for example, Scotland’s own record on care homes deaths, as well as the longer-term political impact, for example those who have shifted to support … Continue reading Even Libby Brooks

In one of the most bizarre suggestions from a supposed ‘think-tank‘, Hanbury, commissioned by an increasingly anxious Conservative Government to think of new ways to counter the surge in support for independence has come up with the idea of ‘pressuring the European Union to nix (sic) the idea of Scotland re-joining the bloc as an independent country.’ Reported in Bloomberg, yesterday, the authors argue against any aggressive, full-frontal attack on the SNP or the wider movement, suggesting it would be counter-productive. Wow! What a stunning insight! Instead, they recommend ‘Operation Sneaky Gove’, making the SNP ‘pay the price‘ for running … Continue reading ‘Co-opting’ the EU to tell sCotland ‘No chance’ Ho Ho, good one!

He did. He was talking about the the situation in England when he mentioned the ‘confusion and stress‘ and contrasting it with Scotland. I know, you’d never know that, reading the above headline. Was writer David Bol up late writing this? The article too is a ball of confusion. Essentially, it’s saying that the First Minister is already considering ‘triggers’ for closing schools if things get worse and that the EIS is calling on her to consider ‘triggers’ for closing schools if things get worse. That’s good then, isn’t it? Now what about that ‘confusion and stress‘ that Nicola has … Continue reading Scottish Head Teacher’s Leader doesn’t ‘warn’ but praises Nicola Sturgeon

From sam: The history of outsourcing is scandalous. NHS Outsourcing: Is It Safe? Deloitte will also be involved in this project which, typically, will promise too much and under deliver while ignoring all the current faults. https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3520 “The UK government has drawn up plans to carry out up to 10 million covid-19 tests a day by early next year as part of a huge £100bn (€110bn; $130bn) expansion of its national testing programme, documents seen by The BMJ show. The internal correspondence reveals that the government is prepared to almost match what it spends on the NHS in England each … Continue reading The history of Covid outsourcing is scandalous.

From stewartb: Perhaps this from BBC News Scotland online today (yes amazing as it is!) might point up the source of the problem and the difficulties being experienced by the Scottish Government. over the Lighthouse Lab/s. And perhaps it might motivate Mr Leonard to aim his remarks at the relevant source, namely the Tory government and its outsourcing to the private sector. “Allan Wilson, who is president of the Institute of Biomedical Science, based at Monklands hospital in North Lanarkshire, told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme the problem was that no one understood how the Lighthouse laboratories operate. He … Continue reading motivating Mr Leonard to aim his remarks