Jackie Baillie today trying to make political capital out of health issues. For nearly two years now, I’ve been asking the same question, here, of civil servants and of oncology professors -no replies. Why do I ask? On December 6th, from Pete Whitehouse, Director of Statistical Services at the National Records of Scotland on 2nd December:  Excess deaths from all causes began to increase in October, but this is almost entirely due to the corresponding rise in COVID-19 deaths. Deaths from causes such as respiratory diseases and cancer are below average levels for this time of year. https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2020/deaths-involving-covid-19-week-48-23th-29th-november Over the whole of … Continue reading Will the cancer ticking time-bomb be any more real than the tsunami?

According to the Times today: A lawyer representing the families of people who died in care homes has demanded a separate Scottish public inquiry into what he called the “state killing” of thousands of elderly residents during the pandemic. Peter Watson, solicitor advocate at PBW Law in Glasgow, said that the Scottish government must atone for mistakes it has itself acknowledged. Watson will give a lecture called “State Killing” at Nova Southeastern University, in Florida, about the government errors that contributed to more than 3,000 care home deaths, a third of all the deaths in Scotland. Watson was suspended from … Continue reading Suspended Scottish judge aiming to make a killing from care home deaths

Only 799 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Scotland over the last 24 hours while there were 21 952 across the UK. This means the UK rate per capita, pro rata, per head population and taking population into account, is approaching three times the level of that in Scotland. The contrast between infection levels in Scotland and Rumpuk is stark: Only Jackie Baillie’s West Dunbartonshire has failed to reduce the infection level due to the Royal Navy’s refusal to insist on face coverings in nuclear subs or in local bars. BBC Scotland’s Disclosure programme has a special tonight on how … Continue reading Massive fall in Scotland’s infections to only one third of UK level

…to refuse to return to work if they’re exposed to coronavirus. It’s after the Scottish Government announced that critical workers who are double-jabbed (sic) can apply for an exemption from self-isolation. The GMB union is urging its members to turn it down. The Scottish Government say the rules already say that exemption will only be granted to staff who voluntarily agree. So, the GMB leaders knew it was voluntary and that their members would not have to turn anything down but felt the public needed to know this nothing and so contacted their pals at BBC Scotland? And, double-jabbed? Are … Continue reading Even if you’re not offered it, TURN IT DOWN!

Responsibility for drug treatment is devolved to the Scottish Parliament but control over the policies which determine what can legally be done to save lives is wholly reserved to Westminster. So, for example, NHS Scotland’s drug treatment service beats its target for treating 90% of patients within 3 weeks or less, year after year, hitting 95.6% in the year to March 2021: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times-1-january-to-31-march-2021/ But, the one strategy which has been proven to work, is denied by the UK Government: The largest review ever undertaken, of 349 research studies, from across the globe though mostly in Europe, carried out by the Centre … Continue reading Johnson faces calls for devolution of reserved drug policies to let Sturgeon tackle drug deaths

Likely new leader of that other Gang of 4, the Scottish Lib Dems, ACH tries to show us what a big tough guy he is but, up here, we know that stance is just asking for it. That unconvincing manly stance is popular with winkers like the above but they should have learned a long time ago that it’s a mistake: Yes, 1976, Scotland’s Kenny Dalglish nutmegs the England keeper Ray Clemence, sliding the ball between his too spread legs. Scotland’s First Minister knows better and is, of course, the most popular politician in the UK. ‘If I’d been Clemence, … Continue reading Sturgeon demonstrates how to avoid own goals?

According to BBC Scotland earlier today: Residents of a multi-storey block of flats in Glasgow had to be evacuated after a fire broke out on the 17th floor. Fire crews were called to the block on Lincoln Avenue in the Knightswood area of the city at 04:08. Residents were safely removed from the building by the fire service and there were no casualties. A total of nine fire appliances attended the incident which took about five hours to bring under full control. A spokeswoman for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Operations control mobilised nine appliances to Lincoln Avenue where … Continue reading Hundreds saved in Glasgow tower block fire after tougher regulations prevent another Grenfell

Dr Lewis Morrison is media regular. He’s paid to be one. He may style himself ‘chair of the BMA’ as if he is a prof leading a research institute but, really he’s a trade union convenor looking after his members’ interests. NHS staff are not ‘very worried’. That’s just his pitch. You’d need a professionally administered survey of thousands in a random sample to say that kind of thing. He has no such evidence. On his claim of cancelled operations: Look at the solid grey line. That’s operations cancelled due to the unavailability of a surgeon or of a theatre. … Continue reading Trade union rumours masquerading as news

There’s a long stain behind Scotland’s corporate and state journalists struggling to blame the ‘SNP Scottish Government’ or its associated services, especially in health and policing, for something, anything. Only we a few days ago we had the Scotsman’s Connor Matchett using the comments of one religious fundamentalist councillor from Skye to attempt to transfer blame, from the corporate care home owners, for Covid deaths, onto the Scottish Government’s inspectors. Bizarrely, the inspectors who have carried out fewer inspections during the pandemic, for obvious reasons, are to blame for not catching out the neglect of the owners! https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/07/30/another-attempt-to-shift-the-care-home-deaths-blame/ Last night … Continue reading Corporate journalist seeks to protect hospital-building Bermuda-based corporation from public scrutiny

Regular readers will remember how Andrew Marr gloated about Scotland’s Covid death rate when it was, for a few days in November 2020, higher than in England: Marr berated the First Minister over these highly selective figures but then lost interest when they fell well below those for England, for the following months. After another short period, in July 2021, when the Scottish figures have been higher again, following in the wake of an earlier surge in cases, Marr seemed not to notice. Now they have again fallen below the English rate and this seems likely to continue: Should I … Continue reading Does Andrew Marr need help again?