Tag: mental-health

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Why do Scotland’s deprived areas NOT have the most troubled hospitals?

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Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian yesterday, the above and: Blackpool report: why do England’s deprived areas have the most troubled hospitals? The findings of the report into Blackpool Victoria hospital are as shocking as they are damning: a culture of bullying, racial discrimination and harassment that has contributed to a staff exodus with a direct impact on patients. The treatment of chronic disease, including Parkinson’s, were just some of the areas blighted by what appears to be a toxic culture. But the Royal College of Physicians report, leaked to the Guardian, exposes much broader challenges for the NHS – and … Continue reading Why do Scotland’s deprived areas NOT have the most troubled hospitals?

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They so want Rutherglen to be like Rochdale but from Police Scotland – ‘No current investigations in Scotland involving offences against children which would mirror the investigations [in England] described in Baroness Casey’s audit as being perpetrated by “grooming gangs”

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Professor John Robertson OBA They will not give up. They smell blood and tears and with Joani Reid’s help they will make sure enough Scots think we have rape grooming gangs too and so are no different. Why do they want this? To keep SNP supporters at home. Readers will be aware no doubt of new Labour MP Joani Reid’s shameless u-turn on national inquiries into grooming gangs – no in England where they are many, to save her boss a red face, but yes in Scotland, where there are none, proving that as Jimmy Reid’s granddaughter, the apple can fall pretty … Continue reading They so want Rutherglen to be like Rochdale but from Police Scotland – ‘No current investigations in Scotland involving offences against children which would mirror the investigations [in England] described in Baroness Casey’s audit as being perpetrated by “grooming gangs”

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Nearly £300 for carers only in Scotland in run-up to Christmas

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Professor John Robertson OBA From December payment for thousands of Scots carers published yesterday: Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be paid to more than 96,000 carers across Scotland from 4 December. Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment, currently made twice a year, for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on the qualifying dates. The payment of £293.50, which is only available in Scotland, will be made automatically from 4 December to people who were paid Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on 13 October 2025. Carers due to get the payment will get a letter … Continue reading Nearly £300 for carers only in Scotland in run-up to Christmas

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Youth suicides in Scotland fall after Scottish Government’s ‘stand-out’ initiatives and have nothing to do with Daily Record’s campaign

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Daily Record is getting right into making money from youth suicides but, of course, not telling you the whole story. They don’t even define ‘youth’ so I have the stats for the 15-24 and 5-24 groups and both are falling. For the 15-24 group, overall suicides are down 12% from 2023 and the average age at suicide – 47.5 years suggests a shift toward older adults with youth data likely stable/low). We won’t get an age breakdown until 2026, so I have to doubt the Record’s story. For the 5-14 group, overall suicides are down … Continue reading Youth suicides in Scotland fall after Scottish Government’s ‘stand-out’ initiatives and have nothing to do with Daily Record’s campaign

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Crime in Scotland falls 37% from 2007 to barely half the level in England and Wales

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: November 2025 published on 27 November 2025: Police recorded crime changed little between year ending June 2024 and year ending June 2025, increasing by 1%. The total number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland in the year ending June 2025 was 303,343. This was 3,265 crimes (or 1%) higher than the level recorded in the year ending June 2024. The recording of crime remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic (2019-20) and is down 51% from its peak in 1991. Property and violent crime has … Continue reading Crime in Scotland falls 37% from 2007 to barely half the level in England and Wales

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News you won’t hear – Scottish Government’s ‘world-leading’ legislation on NHS staffing levels is already working as staffing ratios in Scotland are already significantly better

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scottish Government yesterday: The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 (“the Act”) is the UK’s first multidisciplinary staffing legislation and Scotland became world leading by enshrining such legislation which applies across our entire health and care system. This legislative step reflected our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality care and improving outcomes for service users. The core aim of the Act, to enable better care through appropriate staffing, has been the subject of much focus in its first year of implementation. Early evidence indicates that the Act is fostering greater transparency in staffing decisions and … Continue reading News you won’t hear – Scottish Government’s ‘world-leading’ legislation on NHS staffing levels is already working as staffing ratios in Scotland are already significantly better

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How can this be a matter for government comment when that isn’t? BBC Scotland continues be far more likely than BBC Wales to seek government comment on matters that are first and foremost the responsibility of the GP and the health board/trust

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland today had the above, left, story: People suffering from the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia are being failed by the NHS, according to new research which found patients were waiting years for diagnosis, undergoing unnecessary tests and being prescribed harmful drugs. Researchers at Aberdeen University said some doctors were even refusing to refer patients and dismissing them as “lazy”. The senior consultant who led the UK-wide research is now calling on the NHS to overhaul its care of fibromyalgia patients. The Scottish government said it would continue to work closely with the NHS to improve … Continue reading How can this be a matter for government comment when that isn’t? BBC Scotland continues be far more likely than BBC Wales to seek government comment on matters that are first and foremost the responsibility of the GP and the health board/trust

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Scotsman lies barefaced about pandemic lockdown effects on developmental delays in toddlers and fails to ask if UK Government austerity was a major factor

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Professor John Robertson OBA Above how BBC Scotland reported on developmental delays in toddlers during the pandemic. The Scotsman however, had: That’s a clear lie and it’s not qualified, and at that only very very slightly until the 7th paragraph when we see ‘associated with’ as opposed to ’caused: Unless the reporter is thick-as-a-brick, what is the Scotsman’s agenda here? To join the pile-on demonising of Nicola Sturgeon in the Covid inquiry process? Was it hard to understand the University of Edinburgh news release? Covid lockdown linked to child development issues – Lockdown and social distancing measures during the Covid-19 … Continue reading Scotsman lies barefaced about pandemic lockdown effects on developmental delays in toddlers and fails to ask if UK Government austerity was a major factor

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3.5 MILLION children could be lifted out of poverty if the Labour Party in England and Wales copied the Scottish Child Payment unique in Europe and in the long-term really costing nothing

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scottish Government yesterday: More than 300,000 children supported by Scottish Child Payment Social Security Scotland’s Scottish Child Payment is supporting 322,230 children across the country, newly published figures show.  Launched in February 2021, the Scotland-only benefit gives families with low incomes crucial financial support to help with the cost of raising children. The weekly payment of £27.15 is paid every four weeks for every eligible child under the age of 16 within a household.  https://www.gov.scot/news/more-than-300-000-children-supported-by-scottish-child-payment/ If Labour in England and Wales did the same, they’d lift around 3.5 million children out of poverty. Why … Continue reading 3.5 MILLION children could be lifted out of poverty if the Labour Party in England and Wales copied the Scottish Child Payment unique in Europe and in the long-term really costing nothing

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SNP Government initiatives leading to plummeting waiting lists with overall list now 5% shorter than NHS England

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Professor John Robertson OBA From NHS waiting times – stage of treatment published yesterday, the above impressive signs of progress. with increasing numbers treated yet plummeting longer waits. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-waiting-times-stage-of-treatment/stage-of-treatment-waiting-times-inpatients-day-cases-and-new-outpatients-25-november-2025/ Important note – These latest statistics up to 31 October 2025 cover all patients waiting for a new outpatient appointment or treatment as an inpatient or day case, as well as those seen and removed from a waiting list covered by the national standards. Individual patients are counted more than once if they are waiting to attend more than one scheduled hospital appointment or admission, so the official statistics shown here … Continue reading SNP Government initiatives leading to plummeting waiting lists with overall list now 5% shorter than NHS England