In the quarter ending December 2019, 79% of adults started treatment within 18 weeks, up from 78% in 2018. https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/conditions-and-diseases/mental-health/psychological-therapies-waiting-times/ Reporting Scotland made an editorial decision not to report this but rather, after considering the 2.4% decrease, from December 2018 and the 0.1% decrease from the previous quarter, in those children and young people who started treatment within 18 weeks, decided to report only on those who had waited more than a year and opened with: ‘Twice as many youngsters are waiting over a year for mental health services than a year ago,’ The figures offered were 322 in 2018 … Continue reading To report or not to report on mental health in Scotland as MORE adults are treated

Image: The mortality rate for a child of this age is NOT rising in Scotland There has been a worrying increase in the mortality rate for those aged 10-19, up from 19.5 in 2014, to 24.5 BUT for those under 9, the change from 9.3 to 9.7 is not statistically significant. Also, given the well-evidenced effects of Tory austerity, such as the decline in overall life expectancy for women, this can be considered a sign that SNP policies to compensate may be holding-off comparable damage to the life-chances of young Scots. Further evidence of this can be seen in the … Continue reading Contrary to exploitative Scotsman image SNP anti-austerity policies are reducing infant mortality and holding the rate for the under-9s

The offending headline has been reconstructed by BBC Scotland staffer Billy Mitchell to show weakening Welsh staff how it’s done: Continue reading BBC Scotland staff to re-train BBC Wales staff suspected of treason

Ludo Thierry I’ve seen tons of ‘negative’ stories on the beeb Scotland site about the various problems that can come with growing tourism when the numbers arriving and advance planning hasn’t meshed as well as it might. (Edinburgh, Skye etc). I don’t recall seeing any news stories about the passengers from the Norwegian cruise ships organising beach clear-ups. Somehow the beeb Isle of Man page carries the story (which mentions similar episodes on Orkney and Shetland). Much too positive a story for beeb Scotland to show interest in, one has to assume? Link and snippets below: About 140 tourists on … Continue reading Tourists to improve Scotland’s environment? BBC Scotland van can’t get parked near some castle! Now that’s what WE call news!

Ludo Thierry Found this on the beeb Politics page – but am not finding it on the beeb Scotland pages (situation normal). Sounds as if Johnson’s govt are bowing to the concerted pressure exerted by the sustainable electricity generators, the environmental lobby, the Scottish Govt and Parlt and the Welsh and N.Ireland govts (and Ukania’s own obligations under climate change targets). Johnson will hum and haw but this is a significant political climbdown (and bodes well for future such events if we can all stay focussed and disciplined). Johnson’s big Westminster majority only goes so far in the face of … Continue reading Onshore wind comeback not of interest to BBC Scotland?

Ludo Thierry Smart move by the SNP/Independent coalition admin on West Dunbartonshire Council in passing a council motion calling for Westminster to transfer the relevant powers to Scotland to facilitate the people resident in Scotland choosing our own constitutional future by referendum. Naturally this flushed out the better together alliance – with the tory voting for the labour amendment – but then the labour crew abstained altogether!. None of which stopped the W. Dunbartonshire Council adding yet another piece in the democratic mosaic that will deliver an Indy vote (by one means or another) in due course. Link and snippets … Continue reading West Dunbarton Better Together Alliance flushed out!

Reporting Scotland’s lie today about the widening scope of organised crime and their failure to report the millions saved by the task-force for bank customers, is an example of a ‘negativity bias’ which has a greater impact than might appear at first sight. https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/03/02/reporting-scotland-lie-to-turn-good-news-about-reducing-crime-into-a-scare-of-widening-crime/ Stewartb explains: There is extensive academic literature to explain that the human brain has a “negativity bias”. Apparently our brains are built with a greater sensitivity to the unpleasant or the negative. And it seems that this bias is automatic – baked-in due to evolution. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200306/our-brains-negative-bias Because our brains react more strongly to stimuli deemed negative, … Continue reading Why Reporting Scotland’s negativity on crime today matters

While STV and Scottish Business Insider were able to give the Scottish Serious Crime Task-force the credit for saving £13 million from fraudsters and the UK National Crime Agency headlined their success in taking 60 guns off Scotland’s streets, BBC Reporting Scotland did a word-crime on what was really good news, saying: ‘New figures reveal there are one hundred and twelve organised crime groups operating in Scotland but fewer than at any time in the past five years. A report by the Scottish Government’s Serious Organised Crime Task force says that although the number of gang members is down around … Continue reading Reporting Scotland lie to turn good news about reducing crime into a scare of ‘widening’ crime

Published this morning and ahead of any coverage, we can offer readers in Scotland some reassurance. The key findings: When this breaks it will be interesting to see how Reporting Scotland and others respond. I doubt they’ll use this: Over the year to 2019 teacher numbers increased by 288 to 52,247. This coupled with a rise in pupils of 4,738 has meant that the pupil teacher ratio has remained at 13.6. Primary class sizes have also remained broadly stable. Scotland’s Chief Statistician today published Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland. This release provides the latest information on early learning and … Continue reading SHOCK: Teacher shortages not in Scotland

From stewartb: So once again the media in Scotland – notably the public service broadcaster – exploits this thing called ‘PISA’ (Programme for International Student Assessment) to condemn Scotland’s education system. I am no educationalist but enough of an ‘alert’ reader/listener to suspect that there may be more to this than we are being fed. What follows is a ‘long read’ but I think you’ll find it revealing! 1) BBC SCOTLAND’S LATEST EXPERT I was prompted to research this by a post on Talking Up Scotland (https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/03/01/gordon-brewer-offers-us-more-guff-on-scottish-education/). I wanted to find out more about Stephen Curran, the ‘expert’ guest of … Continue reading Long Read: PISA and it’s ‘Scottish’ supporters comprehensively demolished