NHS Scotland operations surge back toward pre-pandemic levels and capacity to to do 98% on time is maintained for years
The Herald, as always sticks a grubby thumb into NHS figures and comes out with a bad news story. Sad? Desperate? Both. From Public Health Scotland today: During August 2023, there were 26,006 operations planned to take place across NHSScotland, the highest number of planned operations since February 2020. This is 10.1% higher than the number planned a year previously in August 2022 (23,626). The number of planned operations has been steadily increasing since pandemic restrictions first affected provision of services in March 2020. In the 12 months to August 2023, there was a 17.4% increase in the number of … Continue reading NHS Scotland operations surge back toward pre-pandemic levels and capacity to to do 98% on time is maintained for years
New ferry will still have capacity nearly SIX times average customer demand
The Herald’s ferry feeding frenzy continues today with: ‘Beyond belief’: Scots fiasco ferries to have 300-passenger cut for safety reasons The Ardrossan-Brodick crossing carried a total of nearly 700 000 passengers last year. There are 16 crossings almost every day, all year long, giving a total of around 5 800 per year. So, the average sailing takes around 120 passengers. So, a safety cut from 1 000 to 700 is a problem? I think not. The Herald is the problem. Who can’t believe the safety reduction? This guy: Sources: https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/9241/Carrying-Statistics-2022—text-version https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=04%2F01%2F2023 Continue reading New ferry will still have capacity nearly SIX times average customer demand
Thousands of patients will be able to have scans thanks to another Humza Yousaf intervention to avert a health sector strike!
In the Guardian today: Tens of thousands of patients will be unable to have scans on Tuesday when radiographers join consultants and junior doctors in strike action, hospital bosses have said. Radiographers across England will take industrial action from 8am, which will limit the chances of patients using cancer, A&E and maternity services getting a scan or X-ray. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/oct/03/radiographers-strike-on-tuesday-will-stop-thousands-in-england-getting-scans There’s no mention of Scottish radiographers in the above report. On September 3, the Daily Record had a report of a threatened radiographer strike in just one hospital (Hairmyres) with this gleeful comment: Radiographers threaten strike action at Scots hospital days after Humza … Continue reading Thousands of patients will be able to have scans thanks to another Humza Yousaf intervention to avert a health sector strike!
A comment on the ‘Scotland has Sovereignty’ people
By Alasdair Galloway There is a widely held, and often well-informed view that Scotland retains its sovereignty, and indeed that this is in the control of the people – ie unlike England where the tradition is for the monarch to hold sovereignty, so that often the power of the House of the Commons is described as “the monarch in Parliament”. This was a matter of historical development, but in England it was formalised as a consequence of ‘the Glorious Revolution’ when James VII (or II) was deposed, as part of the deal that brought William and Mary to the throne … Continue reading A comment on the ‘Scotland has Sovereignty’ people
‘Cop Cuts’ – As by-election looms reminder of the facts on plummeting crime in Rutherglen and across Scotland yet superior staffing levels in Scotland
The press is full of warnings of loss of life if police officer staffing is cut, from a ‘top officer’ who is, in fact, a trade union leader not a senior officer nor a Sherlock-like detective. With two days to go until a by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West this is misconceived political campaigning on behalf of a Rightist Labour Party which would not hesitate to slash their staffing further and ignore their pay demands. None of the reports have this important evidence: As the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election looms, little media coverage, perhaps not surprising as you will … Continue reading ‘Cop Cuts’ – As by-election looms reminder of the facts on plummeting crime in Rutherglen and across Scotland yet superior staffing levels in Scotland
Herald’s Ferry Newsletter author missing obvious stories
For a few months now the Herald’s Maritime Williams has had a Scotland’s Ferries newsletter to deal with the surge in media reports of ferry failures. There is, of course, no actual surge in ferry failures, any more than there was a surge in care home deaths caused by hospital discharges (it was poor agency workers) or a surge in sexual offences by trans folk or a surge in SNP fraud. It’s just another moral panic and if he is aware of that, it must be doing his head in to have to write that stuff. For his sake, I … Continue reading Herald’s Ferry Newsletter author missing obvious stories
Council Tax payments in Rutherglen and Hamilton West amongst very lowest in UK until of course Labour take over
By stewartb Whilst on the theme of cross UK comparisons, I recently came across a report from the Taxpayers’ Alliance (TA) which examined what it referred to as the ‘burden’ of Council Tax (CT) in England, Scotland and Wales. (This Tufton Street-based organisation is not one I’ve ever referred to before – at least not positively – but, usefully in this instance, it’s a source likely to seen as credible not just by Tories but nowadays probably also by the leadership of a rightward leaning Labour Party!) See: McGoldrick, C, (August 2023) Britain’s council tax burdens. (https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/britains_council_tax_burdens_2023 ) The TA compiled … Continue reading Council Tax payments in Rutherglen and Hamilton West amongst very lowest in UK until of course Labour take over
Why is Joseph Rowntree Foundation so interested in ‘politically charged elements in Holyrood?’
By stewartb The reasons why the JRF has such a relatively high level of interest in Scotland are not known: I could speculate but without evidence this would have no merit. However, there is information in the JRF’s 2022 Annual Report that does touch on the point made earlier about it simply responding to ‘commissions’ from third parties. I don’t think this applies here for reasons that should become obvious.. See https://www.jrf.org.uk/legal/annual-report-and-accounts On the Foundation’s financial assets, the report states: ‘The endowment, which is the value of the investment portfolio less outstanding liabilities, REDUCED FROM £498.1 MILLION TO £423.1 MILLION BETWEEN … Continue reading Why is Joseph Rowntree Foundation so interested in ‘politically charged elements in Holyrood?’
Are there no ‘Poverty in England’ reports from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation?
By stewartb I don’t doubt that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) does important work on a crucial matter, poverty. But I agree with the thrust of the main blog post that sometimes its communications on matters in Scotland can be – let’s say, ‘problematic’. The JRF is certainly ‘interested’ in Scotland. Searching its website reveals a series of ‘Poverty in Scotland’ reports, dating from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017! A similar search reveals ‘Poverty in Wales’ reports only from 2020 and 2018; we find ‘Poverty in Northern Ireland’ reports from 2022 and before that 2018. Why does Scotland … Continue reading Are there no ‘Poverty in England’ reports from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation?
Rutherglen By-election Alert – voters should be wary of eye-watering prices for dirty water if Labour get in control
From BBC Business a few hours ago: Water companies in England and Wales want bills to increase by £156 a year by 2030 to pay for upgrades and reduce sewage discharges. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66979271 In response from the SNP: The SNP has said “independence is the only way to guarantee key services are safe in public hands” – as privatised water companies in England and Wales seek to increase bills by £156 a year. Responding to the news, SNP Energy spokesperson Dave Doogan MP warned “families in England and Wales are paying an eye-watering price for failing services under Westminster control” and challenged … Continue reading Rutherglen By-election Alert – voters should be wary of eye-watering prices for dirty water if Labour get in control
