Herald fakes more ferries bad news on a 100% reliability day and in a 98% month
Yesterday in the Herald: New CalMac service turmoil as ferry is sidelined for eight months. CALMAC ferry services have been plunged into new turmoil as one of its oldest vessels is to be forced out of action till at least the end of October due to new technical problems. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23724925.new-calmac-service-turmoil-ferry-sidelined-eight-months/ Even BBC Scotland seems reluctant to sail with this voyage of discovery, of something, anything, bad on CalMac ferries and by association the SNP in government. The ferry in question is the 38 year-old MV Hebridean Isles which serves the Ardrossan in North Ayrshire to Campbelltown on the Mull of … Continue reading Herald fakes more ferries bad news on a 100% reliability day and in a 98% month
Conviction for female genital mutilation (FGM): FOI release finds no cases
Perhaps not too surprising, this Freedom of Information request finding, published today, is not being reported: Information requested The total amount of individuals convicted in Scotland, since records began, for forced female genital mutilation, attempted forced female genital mutilation or/and female genital mutilation. Response Offences of female genital mutilation etc., are prosecuted in Scotland under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005. The latest available information from the Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database is for 2020-21 and shows there have been no people convicted in Scottish courts for offences under this Act. https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202300367988/ In the year ending March … Continue reading Conviction for female genital mutilation (FGM): FOI release finds no cases
Commercialisation of care in Scotland – linking local services to US Private Equity
By stewartb – a long read My curiosity was piqued recently by a BBC News website article (published 25 July 2023) on the provision of care services in Scotland. (See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66274301) It featured an individual ‘who runs Bluebird Care’, a business providing ‘care at home’ services. The BBC reported him saying (with my emphasis): ‘his company was providing better value for money to the taxpayer, but was not getting supported.’ He was quoted: “That hourly rate (that his company receives from local authorities) has to pay for the staff, the training, the office team – EVERYTHING we do has to … Continue reading Commercialisation of care in Scotland – linking local services to US Private Equity
Royal College of Emergency Medicine compares Scotland’s A&E waiting times – BBC Scotland users may be ‘shocked!’
By stewartb Because of different publication schedules, there is a delay before a direct comparison of A&E waiting times performance for the latest month can be made for the NHS across the UK. Direct comparisons for the month of June, 2023 can now be made: the focus is on England, Scotland and Wales. Rather than rely on own analysis and interpretation of raw official data, fully referenced extracts from statements published by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM: see under ‘Press & Media’ tab of its website) are used. The variations in the key metrics are summarised at the … Continue reading Royal College of Emergency Medicine compares Scotland’s A&E waiting times – BBC Scotland users may be ‘shocked!’
‘Utterly appalling’ use of stats by Tom Gordon as English A&E performance falls ‘massive’ 15% behind Scotland
Reposted after getting mixed up with the types of A&E. Corrected by Anonymous. From the Herald two hours ago: ‘Utterly appalling’: Scottish A&E performance hits three-month low. Waiting time performances in Scotland’s A&E units have slumped to a three-month low, with more than a third of patients waiting too long for treatment last week. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23723574.utterly-appalling-scottish-e-performance-hits-three-month-low/ Tom and his pals just love the weekly A&E stats despite the fact that their statistician Kevin (14) has told them weekly fluctuations are meaningless and that the monthly data are better. I do wonder why Scot Gov, alone in the UK, publish them. NUJ … Continue reading ‘Utterly appalling’ use of stats by Tom Gordon as English A&E performance falls ‘massive’ 15% behind Scotland
Rutherglen & Hamilton West – Vote Labour and get what they got in Drumchapel and Ayrshire – SFA
In February 2015, Alan McGee, Creation Records Founder, wrote: Drumchapel [Michael Shanks came second in 2017] has long been a Labour stronghold and is home to some of the most appalling poverty and deprivation you will ever see. It did also once have a decent MP in the shape of the ex-first minister Donald Dewar, who at least used to be seen out and about in the area and did indeed campaign and do his best for his constituents. But sadly, the values of Labour seem to have died with Mr Dewar. A friend of mine lives in this scheme … Continue reading Rutherglen & Hamilton West – Vote Labour and get what they got in Drumchapel and Ayrshire – SFA
Rutherglen and Hamilton West – Would Michael Shanks not be ‘against’ the Shadow Chancellor’s gift handbag worth 4 months of child benefit to each of nearly 2 000 families in Lanarkshire?
Rachael Reeves, Shadow Chancellor was in the constituency with Anas and Sir Keir but didn’t apparently hang about to see the candidate who looks a bit too lefty, going by his gear there, for Sir Keir’s tastes. Shanks is becoming famous for not being ‘against’ things like returning to the EU when he used to be and should be well for. The handbag? ‘No case for banker tax’ Reeves accepting £1250 handbag from investors is tip of iceberg. Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves accepted a £1,250 ‘handbag and contents’ for giving a talk to an investors’ ‘forum’ run by a multimillionaire, … Continue reading Rutherglen and Hamilton West – Would Michael Shanks not be ‘against’ the Shadow Chancellor’s gift handbag worth 4 months of child benefit to each of nearly 2 000 families in Lanarkshire?
Online grooming not ‘soaring’ and ‘thousands’ not groomed?
The Herald today has: Scots online grooming crimes soar during wait for safety law and the Mail has THOUSANDS OF SCOTS CHILDREN GROOMED ONLINE The UK Conservative Government has delayed and delayed legislation to enable greater controls on the companies hosting these online spaces, under pressure from them to protect their cash flow. The Mail even lets a Scottish Con MSP wail about this crime without asking her why her party is failing these victims. The Police Scotland facts suggest, no surprise there, that the headlines are a bit on the hysterical side: Reports of online child abuse continue to … Continue reading Online grooming not ‘soaring’ and ‘thousands’ not groomed?
Wealthy Canadian province has a real GP crisis
Thanks to Karen Irving for alerting me to this. In Nova Scotia, a province of Canada, population 971 000, 15%, 148 000, have no doctor or nurse practitioner registration. https://www.thecoast.ca/news-opinion/nova-scotias-primary-care-waitlist-surpasses-148000-30972160?fbclid=IwAR3Fr24aRy7ZV13wwr_GZDB3IVugwRPRv_ewsFLn_SrGSJnsF9io8s2dvHU There are 5.8 million people registered with a GP in Scotland despite the population being only 5.4 million. Scotland’s media have no reports of unregistered people. https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/general-practice-demographics-data-visualisation/general-practice-demographics-data-visualisation-up-to-31-december-2022/ Canada has a GDP of $54 350 per head. Scotland has a GDP of $42 182. So we have a far better ferry service and more GPs? Where will it end? Continue reading Wealthy Canadian province has a real GP crisis
CalMac averaging 98% reliability in August
From the 1st to the 3rd August 2023, CalMac ferries have been operating at 97.99% reliability, across up 520 sailings a day, by 33 vessels, to more than 50 ports. The few cancellations have mostly been on the Ardrossan to Campbelltown sailings where it is actually quicker to do the journey from Glasgow to Campbelltown by road. How are things in that advanced affluent nation, Canada, where BC Ferries operate in calmer, warmer waters than CalMac? BC Ferries’ fiascos all its own doing: https://www.chemainusvalleycourier.ca/editorials-opinion/editorial-bc-ferries-fiascos-all-its-own-doing-1673005 Source: https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=13%2F08%2F2023 Continue reading CalMac averaging 98% reliability in August
