Today: Morriston Hospital in Swansea warned its emergency department can only admit patients with a life-threatening illness or serious injury. A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We have taken early and decisive action to keep Wales safe in light of the spread of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59859171 The Welsh Health Secretary makes no comment. The leaders of the opposition parties are silent. In November 2021, as waiting times grew in Scottish hospitals, the Scottish Government issued new guidelines: The new guidance means patients with non-life threatening issues will now be referred to GPs or pharmacies. Some A&Es already have clinicians … Continue reading You can tell A&E patients to ‘stay away’ but only in Wales

In only the 39th of 40 paragraphs in the above BBC England report, do we see: Boris Johnson has warned “considerable” pressure on the NHS is likely to last for weeks to come and said it would be “folly” to think the pandemic was almost over. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-59866650 Notice, he takes no responsibility despite years of staffing reductions, a post-Brexit flight of staff and damaging privatisation, under his party. No opposition politician accuses the Conservative Government of a failure to recruit or to retain staff in NHS England. Several chief executives describe the pressure. None takes responsibility for anything. Readers will know … Continue reading No calls for heads to roll as EIGHT hospital trusts declare ‘critical incidents’

From stewartb Speaking as is his habit now in front of union flags, Sir Keir Starmer tells his audience that he leads what is a ‘deeply patriotic party’ and says that ‘2022 is a big year for the country’. But ‘big’ for whom and why? He cites the following things which for him characterise this upcoming ‘big year’:– the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee– Birmingham hosting the Commonwealth Games– both England’s men’s and women’s football teams competing for international honours – well that’s what the BBC is reporting so it must be correct!– the need to tackle some “big challenges” including “making … Continue reading The Deeply Patriotic Labour Party of England

For some time, I’ve looked for more signs of the SNP Government standing up to and correcting more often, the appalling standards of journalism displayed across the media in Scotland. More recently, beginning I think, with then Health Secretary, Jeanne Freeman and now even the FM telling a reporter how plain daft his question is, there have been a few polite but firm rebuttals. Across social media, we now see Jason Leitch and others correcting errors quite often. They clearly don’t like it put up to them and the doughty, doughy (?) Neil Mackay has ridden to their rescue. Does … Continue reading Doesn’t everybody?

According to the supposedly Scottish Daily Express, Scotland is struggling to maintain essential services and Nicola should get on with following England on isolation times. The opposition to this from the BMA and the EIS is, of course, not mentioned, nor are the data: Frontline staff absences are climbing and may have climbed further in the last few days but remain half of the figure in April 2020 and still significantly lower than in February 2021. Hospital admissions are climbing too but remain less than half of the figure in February 2021 and still below those in October 2021. Notably, … Continue reading Daily Express imagines England’s NHS staffing crisis is here too

As cases surge and plans for beds in tents are developed in England, the UK Conservative Government u-turns to follow Scotland on face-masks in schools. BBC Scotland yet to door-step Scottish Conservatives on this. Continue reading The nasty party’s mask slips….back on

Still up on the BBC Cumbria website two days later, the landlord of Carlisle’s Coach & Horses pub seemed more concerned about safety than trade as he awaited ‘customers’ riding a coach and horses through the Scottish Government’s advice to stay at home. On the 31st, the Sun’s predicted 100 000 partygoers crossing the border intrepid reporters had found four lads in Carlisle and three young women in Newcastle. The Sun had the Coach & Horses landlord too and he boldly predicted ‘some.’ This morning the Daily Record had hardish (if you’re daft) evidence: One of the biggest invasions was … Continue reading Carlisle pub owner still waiting for tsunami of thirsty Scots

In the Herald today: SCOTTISH ministers engineered a way round freedom of information law to keep the “killer facts” in their briefings a secret, official archives have revealed. Files released today by the National Records of Scotland show the Labour-Liberal Democrat Executive of 2006 reclassified material with the explicit aim of thwarting FoI requests. https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19818949.scottish-ministers-sought-put-killer-facts-reach-freedom-information-law/ Research from 2015, suggests that 8 out of 10 people only read headlines. On that basis, only those who recognise the two Labour politicians, long-retired, and those who make it to the second paragraph will realise that this is not about SNP politicians. Recent FoI requests by the Lib … Continue reading Scottish LABOUR tried to hide ‘killer facts’ from public

He has accepted a CBE in the past but did Jason Leitch turn down a knighthood, obliging them to go to the less prominent (check their wiki pages) Smith? I think I’m right in saying that Leitch has had a far greater presence in the pandemic. I notice, also, that Smith, the Larkhall GP, is only an honorary associate prof and, so, doesn’t use it. I hope Leitch did refuse because the reasons for doing so are obvious. Tony Blair, a war criminal had he been on the losing side, is now Sir Tony Blair. Readers will know of many … Continue reading Did Leitch ‘the bigger presence’ refuse?