Tag: mental-health

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Scotland sees major falls in violent crime, housebreaking and drug possession but the Herald only sees the dark side

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Professor John Robertson OBA The Herald has an agenda and it’s so clear above – Crime is rising and the SNP is to blame. I have an agenda too but unlike the MSM I’ve never sought to hide it – some things are improving and we need media balance so that people can correctly assess the quality of their lives under the SNP. They’re selective to paint a dark picture. I’m selective to try and balance that. They are correct about sexual crimes though there is research suggesting the increase is at least in part about a greater willingness to … Continue reading Scotland sees major falls in violent crime, housebreaking and drug possession but the Herald only sees the dark side

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Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults – Scotland leads in and other countries could benefit from dedicated, accessible funding for preventative community work

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults – Year 4 – Monitoring and reporting summary published today: Key Findings – Reach of Funded Projects: Number of awards: 1,462 grants have been awarded in Year 4 which has resulted in funding for 1,446 organisations. This means 6,192 awards have been made across the first four years of the Fund. Balance of new and existing projects: Of the project data returned, 41% were new projects, 56% were existing projects, and data was not available for 3% of projects. Small grants: Overall, most grants (56%) were for £10,000 or … Continue reading Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults – Scotland leads in and other countries could benefit from dedicated, accessible funding for preventative community work

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As Winter brings icy paths BBC Scotland joyously celebrate with a one-week A&E spike report to make up for forgetting to bring the good tidings last week of 12 hour waits running at a third of those in England

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hours in A&E in the first week of November. Professor John Robertson OBA They know, their many researchers, that a one-week change wouldn’t be reported by a good reporter, but still they do it. Are BBC reporters just thick or, worse, are they dishonest? Here’s one of our star players, stewart ‘The Lawman’ b, I’m hoping to keep in the January window, with those tricky facts: Nearly THREE times as many emergency patients per capita wait 12 hours or more in NHS England than in NHS Scotland By stewartb Campaign against austerity needed to push Westminster to support the NHS … Continue reading As Winter brings icy paths BBC Scotland joyously celebrate with a one-week A&E spike report to make up for forgetting to bring the good tidings last week of 12 hour waits running at a third of those in England

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Future Queen of England and Scotland calls for dignity for carers but ignores what only the Scottish Government has already done to that end

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC UK two days ago: The Princess of Wales has called for more dignity for carers and a greater respect for values such as “tenderness” in business, in her first public speech in two years. At an event in the City of London, Catherine called on 80 top business leaders to play their part in ensuring employees can have healthy family lives, including caring responsibilities. “I believe in restoring the dignity to the quiet, often invisible work of caring, of loving well, as we look to build a happier, healthier society,” the princess told the … Continue reading Future Queen of England and Scotland calls for dignity for carers but ignores what only the Scottish Government has already done to that end

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News BBC Scotland prefers not to tell you – Young carers were almost “perfect” targets for the kind of street-grooming model that operated in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford but only SNP Government in Scotland offers unique payment to help them escape those conditions

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Professor John Robertson OBA From the Scottish Government today, reported by STV but not by BBC Scotland: Young carers up to age 19 will now receive Young Carer Grant following an expansion of the benefit delivered by Social Security Scotland. The grant which was previously open to 16 to 18-year-olds is a Scottish only benefit that gives young carers a yearly payment of £390.25. The payment can be used to pay for whatever the young person wants – like driving lessons, tech to help with work or study or new clothes. The grant is available to young people who spend … Continue reading News BBC Scotland prefers not to tell you – Young carers were almost “perfect” targets for the kind of street-grooming model that operated in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford but only SNP Government in Scotland offers unique payment to help them escape those conditions

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Scotland’s flu season starts early but 18 years of SNP administration means we are more ready than Lisa Summers has managed to analyse with 30% more beds and 71% more nurses

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Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland‘s Lisa Summers, the above graph, and: There has been a sharp increase in flu cases detected in Scotland over the last week, official figures show. Data from Public Health Scotland (PHS) shows there were 431 new positive flu cases in the week ending 9 November, a 70% increase on the previous week when 253 cases were recorded. The number of patients admitted to hospital has also almost doubled, rising from 115 to 218. There are typically around 12 000 patients in hospital beds any day of the year in Scotland so that extra … Continue reading Scotland’s flu season starts early but 18 years of SNP administration means we are more ready than Lisa Summers has managed to analyse with 30% more beds and 71% more nurses

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Once more – Don’t be fooled by our media ghouls – this is not a ‘rape grooming’ gang like those in England – no large gangs of men driving multiple young girls from town to town, no care home raids for thousands of victims, no alleged police involvement

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Professor John Robertson OBA One survivor, one family in Glasgow does not make a rape grooming gang on a par with those in England, raiding children’s homes for thousands of victims, much as Joani Reid, Kemi Badenoch and many of the ghouls in Scotland’s ‘media’ might wish it was. Here are the facts again They, Scottish Labour and the MSM, would just love it if Scotland had one of those grooming gangs like the ones they have in England. That’s why they’re using the term for a gang that has little in common with the English ones and which, crucially, … Continue reading Once more – Don’t be fooled by our media ghouls – this is not a ‘rape grooming’ gang like those in England – no large gangs of men driving multiple young girls from town to town, no care home raids for thousands of victims, no alleged police involvement

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How can midwives be at ‘breaking point’ with 15% more than NHS England and far fewer (zero) maternity units in crisis

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Professor John Robertson OBA Remember the days, less than 20 years ago, when corporate media like the Herald would only have trade unions on the front page to suggest they were selfish, overpaid, dishonest, a threat to the economy, the nation even. These days, they’re ‘useful idiots‘ to be exploited in the campaign for Labour in the next Holyrood election. I have 1 bairn (born in Falkirk) and three weans (born in Irvine). The midwives were all wonderful. One of the consultants less so. I’m not doubting they feel under pressure but: By 2024, NHS Scotland had 2 581 midwives, … Continue reading How can midwives be at ‘breaking point’ with 15% more than NHS England and far fewer (zero) maternity units in crisis

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FIVE years of success in turning Scotland’s drug deaths trend around, the reasons for that and the reasons it’s not even better than that

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Professor John Robertson OBA This is simply untrue. The drug deaths trend in Scotland has been downward for these last five years, from 1 339 in 2020 to 1 017. A 24.2% fall, by a quarter in only 5 years after more than 20 years of increasing, is very significant and suggests a successful strategy by government, which I’ll return to. Here is the evidence in two graphs, for 2020 and 2025 from Drug-related deaths in Scotland, 2024, published on 2 September 2025: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/drug-related-deaths-in-scotland-2024/ The full NRS report contains further evidence that this is a confirmed downward trend and notably … Continue reading FIVE years of success in turning Scotland’s drug deaths trend around, the reasons for that and the reasons it’s not even better than that

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NHS England threaten longer waiting lists, already quarter of million longer than in Scotland and to ration care – Imagine that was in Ayrshire?

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waiting list and more than 10 000 of them have waited over a year. Professor John Robertson OBA UK Labour MP, Elaine Stewart, is outside her local hospital to shout about the length of the waiting list. There is no single “waiting list” for the entire board. Lists are made up of sub-lists from each department. I’m not able to comment. If you are a constituent, you might like to write and ask her. What I do know is: NHS England threaten longer waiting lists, already quarter of million longer than in Scotland and to ration care – Imagine that … Continue reading NHS England threaten longer waiting lists, already quarter of million longer than in Scotland and to ration care – Imagine that was in Ayrshire?