In the Herald today but absolutely nowhere on the BBC: ‘Outgoing BBC Director-General Lord Tony Hall has criticised the corporation for contributing to a toxic discourse with political journalism aimed at trying to “catch out” politicians.Lord Hall, who will move into a top role at the National Gallery after leaving the broadcaster, said the BBC had to more carefully consider its role.’ https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18194697.outgoing-bbc-boss-hits-corporation-toxic-journalism-culture/ If he ever looked up at BBC Scotland interviewing and reporting on SNP politicians he must surely have shivered at the sight and sound of those such as Hayley Millar and others, shouting at and constantly interrupting … Continue reading Reporting Scotland and Good Morning Scotland staff must be twitching as outgoing boss can only be referring to their ‘toxic’ journalism culture

In the Scotsman today from Shan Ross: ‘Nurses are undervalued in both status and pay because the majority are women, a new study finds. Experts warn the UK will continue to experience severe nursing shortages if pay is not improved. Experts warn the UK will continue to experience severe nursing shortages if pay is not improved. The study, commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing and carried out by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Oxford University.’ Is this UK study really just an English study? I know it can be difficult for those highly qualified researchers at Oxford … Continue reading The Scotsman! Bringing you the latest on nurses’ pay……in England of course

The Health Protection Scotland report contains some important caveats and a call for caution. Neither word, nor the warnings they make, appear in the media reports: It is not possible to determine whether changes in episodes are confounded by changes in the patient population and their underlying medical conditions. So, simply put, the alleged spike in infections may be as much the result of more children coming in already infected as of more becoming infected after being admitted. In the monthly analysis of environmental bacteria positive blood cultures, the numbers are small and should be treated with caution. (p21) The … Continue reading Scottish media to be given no more chances after causing public money and time to be wasted on investigations into the naturally occurring unavoidable infections of a tiny few

From the NHS Scotland Information Services Division yesterday: The incidence rate for cerebrovascular disease decreased over the last decade by 12.1%. In the last decade, the mortality rate for cerebrovascular disease decreased by 38.7%. Click to access 2019-01-29-Stroke-Summary.pdf Could this achievement be mainly down to better staffing in Scotland? So, as always here, find below a list of a few bits of evidence not mentioned much in our MSM: First on GP staffing: Scottish patients have far better access to GPs than those in England BBC Scotland’s fake news on GPs ‘overwhelmed’ by workloads Reporting Scotland all quiet on surgery closures and GP shortages … Continue reading NHS Scotland achieves fall in mortality from ‘strokes’ by nearly 40% in last decade

From the NHS Scotland Information Services Division yesterday: There has been a steady downward trend in deaths from coronary heart disease in Scotland and the rest of the UK over the last ten years. In Scotland, the mortality rate fell by 35.5% between 2008 and 2017. However, the rate of decline has slowed in the last five years with increases in 2015 for both sexes and in the males rate only for 2017. Click to access 2019-01-29-Heart-Disease-Summary.pdf Could this achievement be mainly down to better staffing in Scotland? So, as always here, find below a list of a few bits … Continue reading NHS Scotland achieves fall in mortality from heart disease by 35% in last decade

From YouGov based on fieldwork on 24th to 26th January with 140 ‘adults’: Party               Percentage SNP                  50 Con                  27 Lab                  13 Lib Dem           6 Green              2 Brexit              1 So, with 16 and 17-year-olds not considered, that a pretty good result which, if repeated in a Holyrood election, would give the SNP the overall majority which they feel we need for Indyref2. With the Greens at 2% it suggests pro-Indy parties at 52% and pro-Indy support perhaps a bit higher given what we know about Labour voters and the younger voters not surveyed here. Notably, as before, but perhaps more markedly, … Continue reading Latest sub-poll gives SNP 50% and suggests Scots see through MSM scare stories on crime but not on health or education

Ludo Thierry: Hold the front page – BBC Scotland is running a ScotRail good news story. They are carrying it on their Scottish business page – but still…. . Must encourage improvement where we can. Link and snippets below: (PS Good news re. ScotRail?? – Humza Must Go): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51281626 Rail passengers in Scotland are feeling the benefit of investment and “stabilised performance”, according to a transport campaign group. Anthony Smith, the head of Transport Focus, said satisfaction with ScotRail punctuality had increased. A survey of passengers by the independent group found almost 90% were happy with ScotRail’s service. The annual … Continue reading Scotrail good story! Where? There. Where? Lower, lower…

From reader Gordon Darge: As a chartered architect in Scotland for 40 years I can confirm that the Building Regulations Technical Standards Scotland have for two decades required cavity fire barriers 2.4 CavitiesMandatory StandardStandard 2.4Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way that in the event of an outbreak of fire within the building, the spread of fire and smoke within cavities in its structure and fabric is inhibited. This includes for example, around the head, jambs and sill of an external door or window opening, at all floor levels and building corners etc. to prevent the … Continue reading Further expert evidence on tower-block fire safety in Scotland that Reporting Scotland does not want you to know

From Neil Mackay in the Herald today (Who are these unnamed dark forces above?) From Lord Robertson in 2014 From Professor Tom Devine in 2018 Neil Mackay may be ‘Scotland’s Columnist of the Year’ but he’s feck all use as an investigative reporter. Does ‘columnist just mean ‘blether?’ This is pathetic clickbait to make us anxious and cling to the Union but based on only a tiny number of street thugs, his own memories of life in Northern Ireland before the Good Friday Agreement and the notion planted in his head by Lord George Robertson, of ‘Dark Forces.’ Robertson’s warnings … Continue reading Why Neil Mackay’s nightmares can be left in historical Northern Ireland

In Energy Voice yesterday: ‘Mammoth Highland offshore wind farms are footing a bill of around £20 million more per year than English projects to connect to the grid, according to the builder of what will be Scotland’s biggest wind venture. The levied regime in the UK, called transmission charging and set up by the energy regulator Ofgem, is understood to be a major disadvantage to projects in the windiest regions of Scotland – with a £20m per year price tag that could rise to £30m by 2025’ Not only is Scotland paying extra to connect to the grid, but the … Continue reading Scotland is paying extra for the ‘pleasure’ of subsidising the UK’s energy production