From Children’s Social Work Statistics Scotland, 2018-19 published yesterday. There are differences in the nature of the data collected, which limit to some extent comparisons between parts of the UK, but these do not seem to call into question the scale of reporting [see second reference below]. Continue reading Far fewer Scots children at risk?

Look at that cheap, exploitative image from the Herald. Surely, there was one with tears too! The equation of ‘additional support needs’ with ‘vulnerable’ is both inaccurate and an attempt to manipulate emotions. The Herald tells us that the number of ‘specialist teachers’ has fallen by 10% in the last 8 years. In a long piece based almost entirely and uncritically on the views of the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition, you have to read all the way to the bottom to see this from the Scottish Government: ‘All teachers provide support to pupils with additional support needs, not just ‘support … Continue reading SNP Government protects funding for ‘vulnerable’ pupils from worst of Tory austerity cuts

There’s a first time for everything. I didn’t expect this. Of course, attributing a lower mortality rate here to the accident of our geography and to the earlier impact of a UK lock-down is a useful way of taking away any credit for the performance of our NHS in saving lives. Didn’t spot that at first. Helen McArdle’s loyalty to the Union is preserved after all. The Herald has accepted the words of Professor Jimmy Whitworth, an expert in international public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who said: “It is pretty clear when you look … Continue reading Updated: Will BBC follow the Herald with this ‘brave’ prediction to steal NHS Scotland’s success?

With its ever-growing team of writers and feeders, the Talking-up Scotland Collective had a dramatic increase in both views and visitors in March 2020. 247 211 views represented an 84% increase on the 134 365 in February. As before, many thanks to the several contributors and to those who post often extended comments, which have added so much to the debate here. Jürgen Habermas would be proud of us. The 56 576 views for just one story – ‘Why are only Channel 4 and local newspapers reporting ‘Scotland’s unique way to treat virus?’ on the 28th played a disproportionate part in … Continue reading Pro-Indy Blog hits nearly a quarter of a million views!

367 deaths in one day bringing the total to 1 651 and BBC England has almost nothing to say about it. 13 deaths in Scotland and BBC Scotland has almost nothing but that: The death rate in Scotland is 3% and in England more than 6% but no media will mention it. Yet, all were happy to broadcast Johnson’s dig at the Scotland’s public services and their supposed ‘issues of resilience.’ This is not a one-of incident. The pattern has been there for at least a week now: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/03/31/day-5-and-still-only-scotlands-coronavirus-deaths-are-headlined-by-bbc/ https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/03/30/third-day-running-and-its-death-for-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland-but-only-tales-of-resilience-for-england-and-the-uk/ https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/03/30/for-second-day-bbc-hiding-true-scale-of-coronavirus-in-england-and-across-uk/ https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/03/29/bbc-uk-and-england-helping-to-hide-the-emerging-coronavirus-disaster/ Continue reading BBC Bias at its most vivid as England’s tragedy is hidden from it

Back in January Ludo Thierry was able to report for us: NHS Tayside not so ‘dysfunctional’ Lisa Summers as their A&E busts waiting time target to be best in UK https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/01/15/nhs-tayside-not-so-dysfunctional-lisa-summers-as-their-ae-busts-waiting-time-target-to-be-best-in-uk/ Today, stewartb updates us And if BBC Scotland does surprise us all and report this – note to any of the BBC’s journalists/editors who visit the TUSC – then they should also feature A&E in NHS Tayside, that Health Board so often the target of negative features on Reporting Scotland. Not only did Tayside achieve the 4 hour waiting time target for 97.5% of patients in A&E in the most … Continue reading BBC Scotland don’t tell us that the UK’s best Accident and Emergency department by far is in Dundee

From NHS Scotland: 92.2% of attendances at A&E services were seen and resulted in a subsequent admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours. 93 patients spent more than 8 hours in an A&E department. 19 patients spent more than 12 hours in an A&E department. Attendances at A&E services in NHS Scotland has seen a large drop (-31.5%) during the week ending 22 March 2020, this will be due to the measures put in place to respond to COVID-19. https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/health-services/hospital-care/nhs-performs-weekly-update-of-emergency-department-activity-and-waiting-time-statistics/ Continue reading NHS Scotland achieves dramatic improvement in A&E waiting times

From NHS Scotland today: The Scottish Government set a standard that 90% of people referred for help with their drug or alcohol problem will wait no longer than three weeks for treatment that supports their recovery. 95% of the 9,171 people who started their first drug or alcohol treatment during the quarter waited 3 weeks or less, with quarterly trends demonstrating consistent performance in recent years.95.1% of the 5,012 people seeking alcohol treatment waited 3 weeks or less.95% of the 4,159 people seeking drug treatment waited 3 weeks or less. https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/lifestyle-and-behaviours/substance-use/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times/ Continue reading NHS Scotland smashes drug and alcohol treatment waiting time targets

From NHS Scotland yesterday: The 31-day standard states that 95% of all patients will wait no more than 31 days from decision to treat to first cancer treatment. 96.5 % of patients started treatment within the 31-day standard, compared with 95.8% in the previous quarter and 94.9% for quarter ending December 2018. The 31-day standard was met by 13 NHS Boards and Golden Jubilee National Hospital. The Board that did not meet the standard was NHS Grampian (92.8%). https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/conditions-and-diseases/cancer/cancer-waiting-times/ Continue reading NHS Scotland beats 31-day cancer waiting time target for second time and Reporting Scotland…

In the Opinium Poll today based on fieldwork on 26th March, respondents were asked: To what extent do you approve or disapprove of …The way Nicola Sturgeon is handling her job as Leader of the SNP? A whopping 83% of SNP voters approved with only 4% disapproving but 56% of Lib Dems and 46% of Labour voters also approved. Even among Con voters 20% approved and only 53% disapproved. Continue reading Approval for Nicola Sturgeon high among SNP, Lib Dem AND Labour voters