Tag: health

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How can there be ‘an A&E crisis’ of deaths ‘linked’ to long waits ONLY in Scotland when they are actually falling here and nearly FOUR times as common in NHS England?

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We’ve been here before with A&E delays and excess mortality. Only the media operating in Scotland is reporting it. How the numbers were calculated for this RCEM/Lib Dem study: The figures use a standard mortality ratio previously applied by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM). It assumes roughly one additional death for every 72 patients who wait 8–12 hours before admission. The Lib Dems applied this to the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours (not official government statistics). The RCEM ratio 1:72 is supported by one 2022 peer-reviewed study based on A&E data from 2016 to 2018: … Continue reading How can there be ‘an A&E crisis’ of deaths ‘linked’ to long waits ONLY in Scotland when they are actually falling here and nearly FOUR times as common in NHS England?

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Why we have no A&E crisis but England does

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In the Herald today, this: Here’s why we have no crisis but NHS England does From stewartb 5 March 2026 on NHS England manipulating stats again, researched by stewartb and just framed by me. RCEM press release (march 4): ‘NHS England corridor care definition interesting but meaningful change must follow’ ‘Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said: “.. we can already measure long waits and overcrowding. It remains to be seen whether trying to measure corridor care on top of this will prove more effective. “We have two main concerns about the complex definition. Firstly, … Continue reading Why we have no A&E crisis but England does

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As researchers find evidence that a child-obesity crisis is less likely in Scotland, how the Scottish Government has been trying to turn the tide

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Research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Morbid obesity in the UK: A modelling projection study to 2035, in 2018, suggested ‘Under current trends it is predicted that 11 per cent of the population in Wales will be morbidly obese in 2035, roughly 340,000 adults, while Scotland is likely to plateau at about 5 per cent and England will rise to about 8 per cent.’ The researchers offer a surprisingly clear, confident and simple explanation, for the significantly slower growth in Scotland – Scottish Government policy initiatives and resource allocation: ‘The government put a massive push on developing a … Continue reading As researchers find evidence that a child-obesity crisis is less likely in Scotland, how the Scottish Government has been trying to turn the tide

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Prevalence of major congenital conditions falls 8.4% in just two years in Scotland perhaps influenced by nearly 20 years of protection from worst of austerity policies, Child Payment, free prescriptions and more affordable housing

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From Congenital conditions in Scotland 2021 to 2024 published yesterday, the above and: Source: https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/congenital-conditions-in-scotland/congenital-conditions-in-scotland-2021-to-2024/ What factors influence the rate of these conditions? Genetic factors, environmental exposures (often interacting with genes), maternal age, area deprivation, maternal ethnicity, infant sex, and multiple pregnancy are the main factors associated with variations in rates of major congenital conditions. The rates for these conditions in England and Scotland are similar other than in South Asian communities in England where first cousin marriage is twice the national average rate as is the rate of congenital anomalies. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673613611320 The line graph at the top shows that … Continue reading Prevalence of major congenital conditions falls 8.4% in just two years in Scotland perhaps influenced by nearly 20 years of protection from worst of austerity policies, Child Payment, free prescriptions and more affordable housing

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BBC Scotland could be misleading you on likely police officer numbers with journalism at lowest level since SNP surge 20 years ago

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From BBC Scotland, the above and: Police Scotland will have to cut officer numbers to their lowest level in 23 years if it gets a “devastating” flat cash funding settlement, an oversight body has warned. The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) says recruitment would have to stop, taking officer numbers down to 15,600 – the lowest figure since 2003-04. Police Scotland is currently in line to receive a standstill budget allocation for next year from the Scottish government, but is asking for a £110m increase to maintain current staffing levels and respond to an increasing workload. The government said it delivered … Continue reading BBC Scotland could be misleading you on likely police officer numbers with journalism at lowest level since SNP surge 20 years ago

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Scotsman under fire for misleading reporting on alcohol deaths as treatment within only 3 weeks beats 90% target for years on end and Swinney adds another £37 million new this year

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The Scotsman, confused on alcohol deaths – against this week or for last week? From the Scotsman’s David Bol today: Exclusive: SNP under fire for lack of action to tackle alcohol deaths as focus on tackling drug fatalities. John Swinney has been warned grieving families “deserve the same urgency” in tackling Scotland’s alcohol death crisis as the nation’s drug-related fatalities amid criticism over a lack of action. Two leading charities have told The Scotsman it was “deeply disappointing” the First Minister’s programme for government “contained nothing new” to tackle alcohol harm. https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/snp-under-fire-for-lack-of-action-to-tackle-alcohol-deaths-as-focus-heaped-on-tackling-drug-fatalities-9308257 First on action ie treatment, from National drug … Continue reading Scotsman under fire for misleading reporting on alcohol deaths as treatment within only 3 weeks beats 90% target for years on end and Swinney adds another £37 million new this year

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Not mentioned by BBC Scotland, of course, there is real news on BBC England about real action by doctors of a kind Lisa Summers can only dream

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next month in a dispute over pay and pensions. The walk-out will begin on 25th November just before 7am, with consultants providing emergency cover only, similar to how hospitals are staffed on Christmas Day. On BBC UK at 1pm today, the above ‘news’. NHS England consultants last went on strike in 2023. The UK Health Secretary has warned against ‘irresponsible action.’ Regulars will be aware that BBC Scotland have got in early to worry viewers that consultants in NHS Scotland might decide to go on strike and will decide by 7 November but were careful to avoid referring to the … Continue reading Not mentioned by BBC Scotland, of course, there is real news on BBC England about real action by doctors of a kind Lisa Summers can only dream

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BBC Scotland desperate for their first ever NHS strike, in SIX weeks, put the effort in, to at least make you worried enough to miss an appointment

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on whether to take action…………….voting due to close on 7th December. In their tiny insert in BBC Breakfast, every half-four, the BBC Reporting Scotland team gave over most of the time allocation to this possibility of a strike, in more than 5 weeks. They cannot wait to have you start the process of thinking NHS Scotland is as troubled as NHS England and for old folk to wonder if it’s worth attending appointments. We’ve seen this over and over, this last four or five years, as NHS England unions go on strike and in Scotland they never, so far do, … Continue reading BBC Scotland desperate for their first ever NHS strike, in SIX weeks, put the effort in, to at least make you worried enough to miss an appointment

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Eradicating child poverty costs nothing in the long term because everything depends on it – the EIGHT research reports supporting the SNP Government’s decision to spend 0.7% of its budget for a future we all benefit from

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In the Guardian in December 2024: The news that more than one in three children in the UK are now living in poverty should shock everyone but surprise no one. Nearly three years into the cost of living crisis, we know that young families and disabled people have been among those hit hardest by the biggest fall in UK living standards in half a century. The latest estimates, by the non-partisan Social Metrics Commission, show that the number of people in poverty has risen to 16 million, or nearly one in four of the UK population – its highest level … Continue reading Eradicating child poverty costs nothing in the long term because everything depends on it – the EIGHT research reports supporting the SNP Government’s decision to spend 0.7% of its budget for a future we all benefit from

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Scottish Government advised care homes to isolate discharged hospital patients three weeks before other three UK nations saving unknown number of lives as nearly 3 000 were lost in England

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By stewartb The Covid Inquiry report on care homes identifies multiple, alleged ‘failings’ by government bodies and ministers. But whilst it makes clear the invidious decisions and trade-offs that faced the authorities, it seems to avoid drawing what is – perhaps to the lay person – the obvious conclusion that there was no ideal, harm-free approach to mitigating risks to care home residents AND the wider public needing hospitalisation available to governments across the UK as the pandemic took hold. In terms of mitigating the risks from discharges from hospitals to care homes, this from the Covid Inquiry report is … Continue reading Scottish Government advised care homes to isolate discharged hospital patients three weeks before other three UK nations saving unknown number of lives as nearly 3 000 were lost in England