Tag: health

1 Comment

There is no evidence that ‘mothers and babies came to harm in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’ but Reporting Scotland want you to think so despite NHS Scotland’s lower maternity death rate and better staffing

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland this morning claimed that mothers and babies came to harm in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary due to a toxic culture there, as they reported on an independent review. The review as reported by BBC Scotland on their website today, does not mention that claim at all: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj3x6vy3lkeo The claim comes from a December 2024 internal review by Lothian Health board which BBC Scotland reported as only having this evidence: But staff say they fear the risks to patients remain. “We are afraid we can’t provide safe patient care and that women and babies are being … Continue reading There is no evidence that ‘mothers and babies came to harm in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’ but Reporting Scotland want you to think so despite NHS Scotland’s lower maternity death rate and better staffing

4 Comments

A life-extending prostate cancer drug being available for two years in Scotland but not yet in England is not the kind of thing Jackie Baillie wants you to know of

johnrobertson834

The drug, abiraterone, has been available in Scotland and Wales for two years for high-risk patients whose cancer has not yet spread, but not in England and Northern Ireland. Liz S Jackie Baillie recent tweets: “A warm welcome from party members in Stornoway. If you want improved public services in our rural and island communities, we need a new direction with @scottishlabour“ “Thought-provoking conversation with the local community in Barra who are struggling to access healthcare. Next stop, Eriskay”. “The SNP’s stealth cuts have created a sinkhole under social care. It’s time for a new direction” “Our heroic ambulance workers are being failed. Scottish Labour will make fixing the NHS our number one priority” Then … Continue reading A life-extending prostate cancer drug being available for two years in Scotland but not yet in England is not the kind of thing Jackie Baillie wants you to know of

10 Comments

Does Northern Scotland really have one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the world?

johnrobertson834

Yesterday we had: BBC Scotland and STV today have short reports on the higher level of Huntington’s disease in the North of Scotland but with no useful content to inform and to educate readers in the manner they often claim to do, leaving readers with just another ‘Scotland is ****’ story that they can quietly associate with 18 years of SNP-rule. In response today from JB: The above is based on a new study by the University of Aberdeen who state that… “The study, published in Neuroepidemiology, confirmed that Northern Scotland has one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the … Continue reading Does Northern Scotland really have one of the highest rates of Huntington’s disease in the world?

8 Comments

‘North Scotland among highest rates of Huntington’s’ – yes, but why?

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland and STV today have short reports on the higher level of Huntington’s disease in the North of Scotland but with no useful content to inform and to educate readers in the manner they often claim to do, leaving readers with just another ‘Scotland is ****’ story that they can quietly associate with 18 years of SNP-rule. When I saw this, I thought straightaway, vitamin D deficiency, as with MS, also more prevalent in the north. While as yet not conclusive, emerging evidence can be found: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are common in older … Continue reading ‘North Scotland among highest rates of Huntington’s’ – yes, but why?

13 Comments

The deep irony of BBC Scotland talking about ‘hidden’ waiting lists when they routinely hide target-beating and lists much shorter than elsewhere in the UK

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland today, based on a feed from one psychiatrist and no actual figures, the above tasteless image and unsubstantiated headline. Let me be clear, as always, I’m not doubting the opinion of the medic here, but challenging the politicising of the unconfirmed data by BBC Scotland with a view to, always, implying failure by the Scottish, SNP, Government. In this report, BBC Scotland do credit the meeting of targets for children and adolescent’s mental heath care last month but when the data were first published on 4 March 2025, were quick to move on … Continue reading The deep irony of BBC Scotland talking about ‘hidden’ waiting lists when they routinely hide target-beating and lists much shorter than elsewhere in the UK

5 Comments

Lisa Summers reporting NHS Scotland down as Unison talks it up

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Brenda Robb for alerting me tot his. In Nursing Times yesterday: The latest NHS pay offer in Scotland “sends a really powerful message” to other UK countries about what can be achieved through direct pay negotiations, Unison Scotland’s co-lead for health has said. Speaking with Nursing Times, Matt McLaughlin said other UK countries were “hiding behind bureaucracy” when it comes to NHS pay and it was “no good” for the health service. “In the other parts of the UK, it seems that people are hiding behind bureaucracy” Matt McLaughlin Scotland is the first UK … Continue reading Lisa Summers reporting NHS Scotland down as Unison talks it up

7 Comments

English media misinterpret A&E waiting times* to let Labour of-the-hook and conceal gap with NHS Scotland treating 11 000 more on time, every month, than would have been treated in NHS England

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: In emergency departments, 75% of patients were seen within four hours last month [March], up from 73.4% in February. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/10/hospitals-in-england-to-get-unlimited-incentive-payments-for-patients-taken-off-waiting-lists This is a common, sometimes confused, sometimes intentional, misrepresentation of the facts to suggest A&E in England is performing better than it is and, in BBC broadcasts, to suggest it is performing better than in Scotland. In the above NHS England table, you’ll see that for Type 1 emergency departments, only 60.9% were treated within 4 hours. What is Type 1? Type 1 A&E department = A consultant led 24 hour service … Continue reading English media misinterpret A&E waiting times* to let Labour of-the-hook and conceal gap with NHS Scotland treating 11 000 more on time, every month, than would have been treated in NHS England

5 Comments

FACTCHECK – How the former Lambeth councillor and helicoptered-in Labour MP lies about NHS Scotland and NHS England

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA From PMQs yesterday, Imogen Walker MP, fed the PM with these demonstrably questionable statements. In Hamilton and Clyde valley my constituents are struggling to access the health care that they desperately need. In the last quarter of 2024, NHS Lanarkshire, treated 97% of cancer referrals with a decision to treat within 31 days and 96.2% of urgent referrals with a suspicion of cancer within 62 days.1 The target is 95%. The equivalent figures for England were 91.3% and a shocking 69.6%.2 In the same period, for the critical 18 week target for life-threatening conditions, NHS Lanarkshire … Continue reading FACTCHECK – How the former Lambeth councillor and helicoptered-in Labour MP lies about NHS Scotland and NHS England

7 Comments

How NHS Scotland repeatedly has and can help NHS England patients

johnrobertson834

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Independent yesterday, the above, and: Enhertu is the first licensed targeted treatment for patients with HER2-low breast cancer that cannot be removed surgically or that has spread to other parts of the body. Patients are usually offered chemotherapy, but Breast Cancer Now explains the targeted drug could offer people more time to live in comparison. Enhertu was approved for use in Scotland in December 2023 but was rejected for use on NHS England in March 2024 by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) because it was too expensive. In September 2023, 84 patients have to … Continue reading How NHS Scotland repeatedly has and can help NHS England patients

2 Comments

How the Scottish Government is supporting improved cancer care – but shamefully this is not being reported by ‘your’ media

johnrobertson834

By JB Some positive things you will not be allowed to read about in the ‘Scottish’ media. Funding for projects to benefit patients and clinical staff. A total of £1.5 million funding in 2024-25 is supporting 12 projects to continue providing direct and personalised support to patients with cancer. Over £1.5 million will support 12 pilot projects across Scotland to deliver a single point of contact to people diagnosed with cancer. All of the people living within NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS … Continue reading How the Scottish Government is supporting improved cancer care – but shamefully this is not being reported by ‘your’ media