Today the Labour First minister of Wales attacks a health board. The state of Wales’ flagship hospital is “absolutely unacceptable”, the first minister has said. An unannounced inspection of emergency and assessment units at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales (UHW) found dirty sinks, low morale, and people sitting on bins. Mark Drakeford said the pressure on the NHS does “not excuse” the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. The board says it has fully accepted the report’s findings. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-63214751 Nowhere does he take any responsibility not does the anyone say he should. Is that normal? You know that kind of ‘normal’ … Continue reading Are only Scottish health secretaries responsible for anything?

From the Scottish Government today: Recruitment to Scotland’s ambulance service has hit a record high, helping to boost the service this winter.   A record 540 paramedics, ambulance drivers, call handlers, and clinicians have been employed in the last year. This is driven by a £45 million funding boost announced as part of last week’s NHS winter resilience plan, which will ensure the NHS is working as efficiently as possible. The increase in staff numbers is already having a tangible impact on response times – with 99% of all serious incidents, such as heart attacks, being dealt with in under … Continue reading 540 paramedics, ambulance drivers, call handlers, and clinicians but it’s never enough

stewartb ‘… despite strong criticisms of their record on the NHS and schools, the highest rate of death from drugs in Europe and ferry orders that are late and over budget ..’ The shallowness of understanding and therefore of analysis available from the BBC’s political editor [Chris Mason] here is in full view. And at root is the BBC’s inability – more likely its determined unwillingness – to present the Scottish Government, its achievements and its failings, in context. And its unwillingness to address the ‘perspective void’ that characterises BBC coverage of Scotland. All this despite its supposed politically neutral, … Continue reading Defying credibility?

From Redfield and Winton based on data collected on 10 October, Labour UK ride high at 41% over the Cons at 15% and 20% who don’t know but, in Scotland, Labour are at only 20% and in a poll not including the SNP but on the day of their conference finale, 42% don’t seem to know. https://redfieldandwiltonstrategies.com/latest-gb-voting-intention-9-october-2022/ So, half the support for Labour in Scotland and twice the level of the biggest group, the don’t knows. After the fifth sub-poll, Labour were averaging 28% against 46% for the SNP and 10% for the Cons. This latest one brings the Labour … Continue reading 6th sub-poll, during SNP conference, with no Labour surge in Scotland

From Public Health Scotland today but not appearing in ‘the news’: The number of examinations paid in August 2022 was 238,838; an increase of 28% compared to July 2022 (186,714). There were 327,948 NHS primary dental claims in August 2022. This represents an increase of 25% from 261,537 in July 2022. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-dental-treatment-statistics/nhs-dental-treatment-statistics-month-ending-31-august-2022/ These are monthly data in a trend, overall, upward from nearly 0 in April 2020, so more reliable than the weekly figures so loved by the likes of Tom Gordon at the Herald. In August BBC Scotland preferred to work the data to get this kind of thing: … Continue reading 28% surge in NHS dental treatment

From cuckooshoe Yesterday, the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason wondered For a party that has been in government in Scotland for 15 years, they continue to defy gravity: despite strong criticisms of their record on the NHS and schools, the highest rate of death from drugs in Europe and ferry orders that are late and over budget, they keep doing miles better in elections than anyone else in Scottish politics.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63209674 Wonder no more Mr Mason…. Since the SNP came into government, every home in Scotland has benefitted from SNP policies. From free tuition, to record health funding and the Baby Box, we … Continue reading Is Nicola defying gravity?

I should open with an apology for my headline but it’s just too bad to drop. In 2018, the Scottish Cons were reported in the Courier: Ministers have been accused of complacency over smoking after funding cuts coincided with a sharp decline in quit attempts. The number of bids to kick the habit have halved since 2012, according to NHS figures, as Scottish Government cash for cessation services fell by 73%. The Scottish Conservatives warned the “great strides” in tackling one of the biggest threats to public health were at risk of being undermined by SNP inaction. https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/scottish-politics/629769/snp-complacency-risks-reversing-great-strides-in-cutting-smoking-the-tories-warn/ Today, in … Continue reading Will Scottish Tories smell the Coffey?

According to former Scottish Labour branch manager, Kezia Dugdale, in the Herald unchecked, today: LABOUR can take up to 12 seats in the general election won by the SNP in the 2019 poll, according to Kezia Dugdale. The former Scottish Labour leader made the forecast today after senior figures in the SNP stepped up their attacks on their rivals during their party conference in Aberdeen. Labour figures believe the attacks indicate nervousness about a turn around in the fortunes of Labour, which currently has just one MP north of the Border. A series of UK opinion polls have shown Keir Starmer’s party … Continue reading She’s not good at sums, get her out of here!

See the difference between the National’s headline and those in the Scotsman and the Mail? They’ve dropped the ‘the‘. Does it matter? Well, yes, of course. I detest ‘the’ Tories too but I mean by that, as I feel sure the FM does, Tory politicians and activists. I don’t detest most Tory voters, even supporters. I feel sure many of them are well-intentioned but deluded. Given the propaganda they’ve grown up with and face every day, I understand. You can say that you detest the violent and sexist imagery of some forms of youth culture without being accused of detesting … Continue reading She said she detests ‘THE’ Tories not all Tories

Since the middle of September, Covid hospitalisations have been climbing fast in England and Wales but are stable in Scotland. The rate in England pro rata, is around 25% higher and in Wales, around 30% higher. Intensive care cases have been climbing too, in England and Wales, but not in Scotland. The rate in England is dramatically higher at more than twice, pro rata. In Wales, with only just over half the population, they have or have had as many, if not more, ICU cases as Scotland. What could be causing these life-critical differences? Scotland has 50% more nurses, 15% … Continue reading Why are Covid hospitalisation and ICU levels stable and much lower in Scotland?