Shocking contrast as nearly twice as many Scots have access to an NHS dentist as those in England
Professor John Roberson OBA BBC Breakfast had extended and intensive coverage on the dentistry crisis in England, with the above images of queues around the block to even get on a dentist’s waiting list, and a minister admitting that folk are using pliers on themselves, 18 months after his government came to power. BBC Scotland is not covering this topic. Here’s why: Shocking contrast as nearly twice as many Scots have access to an NHS dentist as those in England Professor John Robertson OBA The above table from Public Health Scotland today, reveals a very high level of access to free NHS dental treatment … Continue reading Shocking contrast as nearly twice as many Scots have access to an NHS dentist as those in England
Respect? Why Scotland’s resident doctors delayed their ballot until after the deadly flu season’s predicted peak
Professor John Robertson OBA At least four of the above stories, including the resident doctor strike news, in the midst of a flu epidemic, concern only NHS England. BBC Scotland have no apparent health worries for us. Why no reporting? The Scottish Resident Doctors vote does not close until 19 December 2025 with strike action unlikely until January. Why have they delayed until this point? Flu cases tend to decline in early January, year after year. Why would the NHS England resident doctors not have delayed? This: See that ‘still?’ This goes back to earlier experience of the doctors and … Continue reading Respect? Why Scotland’s resident doctors delayed their ballot until after the deadly flu season’s predicted peak
Police Scotland ‘have no intelligence to suggest threat’ and research says the same but STV try to make terror leap ten thousand miles into your town
Professor John Robertson OBA STV yesterday have: Police Scotland is urging the public to “remain alert” following a Hanukkah terror attack on Bondi Beach in Australia. At least 12 people have died after a shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, which authorities have said was a terrorist attack against the Jewish community. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns confirmed in a press conference that one of the gunmen was dead, and another was in custody. Police said earlier on Sunday that the second shooter was in critical condition after being injured. A total of 29 people have been taken … Continue reading Police Scotland ‘have no intelligence to suggest threat’ and research says the same but STV try to make terror leap ten thousand miles into your town
As NHS Scotland hits treatment targets for a year, what is the cause of a ‘child mental health emergency?’
Professor John Robertson OBA I am, of course, not competent to evaluate the claims of the charity making them in the Herald above but I am, as are all of you, competent to ask why an apparent improvement in performance in the NHS services for them – CAMHS – now for a year, treating more than 90% of those children referred to it (7 500) in one quarter, within the 18 week target, 50% within only 3 weeks1, is now in a crisis mode when it was not in mid-2022 or in the years before? Where’s the expert, the ‘top … Continue reading As NHS Scotland hits treatment targets for a year, what is the cause of a ‘child mental health emergency?’
Why the wind doesn’t need to blow all the time – breakthrough in new technology to blow all Scottish Labour arguments for nuclear ‘out of the water’
EBARGOED UNTIL 15 Dec 2025 00:01 Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland, three days ago: In East Lothian, council leader Norman Hampshire has asked UK ministers to draw up a “characterisation” of the Torness power station site in the hope that it could still be considered for a replacement. The Labour councillor says the closure of Torness without a replacement would be devastating to the community in Dunbar and across Scotland. “There’s a lot of jobs… and all of that feeds into the local economy. So, if Torness isn’t there it’s going to be a huge blow and there’s … Continue reading Why the wind doesn’t need to blow all the time – breakthrough in new technology to blow all Scottish Labour arguments for nuclear ‘out of the water’
Not even one one report of a flooded home – I wonder why? Surely not Scottish Government investment in flood defences?
Professor John Robertson OBA STV News, almost exactly 24 hours earlier, as I write: Scots homes ‘likely to be flooded’ as amber weather warning for ‘very heavy rain’ issued – The alert comes into effect from midnight on Sunday and remains in place until 11.59pm. The same hopeful claims were everywhere in Scotland’s media with the same optimism, on their part, we see when such NHS waiting times or drug deaths figures are anticipated. As of now (Sunday 14th December, 12:20), there are no confirmed reports of homes flooded in Scotland in the last 24 hours. There had been 6 … Continue reading Not even one one report of a flooded home – I wonder why? Surely not Scottish Government investment in flood defences?
Campus shootings – how Scotland’s campuses, safest in the UK, could not be reported to US Department of Education yet in every English university town you are significantly more likely to be a victim of violent crime than in any Scottish one.
Professor John Robertson OBA Yesterday’s tragic killings at Brown University in the USA are only the latest in a sequence of 43 such incidents. Ironically, in July this year Police Scotland answered a Freedom of Information request from the US Department of Education on crime data for Scotland’s Higher education campuses, in a surprisingly unhelpful way: I refer to your recent request for crime data, made in accordance with the Clery Act. Unfortunately, Police Scotland is unable to assist with your request. Having reviewed the ‘Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting’ from the US Department of Education, it is … Continue reading Campus shootings – how Scotland’s campuses, safest in the UK, could not be reported to US Department of Education yet in every English university town you are significantly more likely to be a victim of violent crime than in any Scottish one.
Domestic abuse shockingly far more common in England & Wales than in Scotland
Professor John Robertson OBA There were 30 227 cases of reported domestic abuse in Scotland in 2024-2025.1 All things being equal, you might expect the figure for England & Wales to be around 11 times greater, reflecting a population around 11 times greater – 330 000? In England & Wales in 2024-2025: The police flagged 797,530 offences as domestic abuse-related in YE June 2025, including 623,430 violence against the person offences.2 Based on these official statistics, domestic abuse seems to be more than twice as common in England & Wales. Sources: No doubt there are differences in recording which will … Continue reading Domestic abuse shockingly far more common in England & Wales than in Scotland
UK Labour Government to copy SNP policy on specialist rape and sexual offence investigation teams from 2013, 16 years too late, in a culture where these offences are between twice and three times as common!
Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Politics today: All police forces to get specialist sexual offence teams, Mahmood pledges – Specialist rape and sexual offence investigation teams will be introduced to every police force in England and Wales by 2029, the government has pledged. It is part of a long-delayed plan aimed at halving violence against women and girls within a decade. In Scotland: Police Scotland’s specialist sexual offence teams, including the divisional Rape Investigation Units and the National Rape Task Force, were established following the creation of Police Scotland on 1 April 2013.This came from the merger of Scotland’s … Continue reading UK Labour Government to copy SNP policy on specialist rape and sexual offence investigation teams from 2013, 16 years too late, in a culture where these offences are between twice and three times as common!
It may be a different battle for the SNP in the West and South of Scotland in May 2026
Professor John Robertson OBA While Scotland-wide polls have Reform UK in second place pushing Labour down into third place and a major loss of list MPSs, this may conceal regional variations and exaggerate their threat in some parts. Only Paris-based, Ipsos, publish regional breakdowns with consistent scientific sampling that can be reasonably compared over time, though limited slightly by a Westminster context in one (18 June 2025) and Holyrood in the the other (10 December 2025). The results are above and suggest different tactics for SNP campaigns in the West and South of Scotland. Key points: Comments? Continue reading It may be a different battle for the SNP in the West and South of Scotland in May 2026
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 