Tag: news

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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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Jackie Baillie sets new low desperately trying to hide SNP Government’s huge lead in preparing for expected flu outbreak, widening free access from 5 to 13 key groups and carrying out proportionally more than TWICE as many jags (not ‘jabs’) as in Labour England

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Professor John Robertson OBA Jackie Baillie, Labour Unhealthy Spokesperson, in the terminally-ill Scotsman yesterday, with the above claim. From BBC Health last week and being broadcast widely and frequently: Flu strikes every winter, but this year something seems to be different. A seasonal flu virus suddenly mutated in the summer. It appears to evade some of our immunity, has kick-started a flu season more than a month early, and is a type of flu that history suggests is more severe. The NHS has now issued a “flu jab SOS” as fears grow that this will add up to a brutal winter. There … Continue reading Jackie Baillie sets new low desperately trying to hide SNP Government’s huge lead in preparing for expected flu outbreak, widening free access from 5 to 13 key groups and carrying out proportionally more than TWICE as many jags (not ‘jabs’) as in Labour England

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10 to 1 in favour and the 1 ‘buried’ and key concerns left out, the BBC’s ‘balance’ on Labour’s nuclear plans in Wales is exposed as just another example of biased reporting

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Professor John Robertson OBA Before the recent surges by Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, we used to be able to contrast BBC Wales reporting, favourably with the horribly one-sided and dishonest coverage by BBC Scotland. With Labour now at risk, they are moving quickly to behave in the same manner. In a 980-word report on the Westminster plans for a new small nuclear power station as far away from London as they can manage without trying to put it in Scotland, on the farthest edge of North Wales, there are only 90 words casting doubt and, even then, avoiding sensitive … Continue reading 10 to 1 in favour and the 1 ‘buried’ and key concerns left out, the BBC’s ‘balance’ on Labour’s nuclear plans in Wales is exposed as just another example of biased reporting

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A strange kind of non-story that makes you think that the timing of this is a tad too convenient with the Scottish & Welsh elections coming up next year

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By Liz S This story was covered in the BBC website on the 11 October 2025. “Government to rethink rejection of Waspi compensation” It’s a strange kind of non story that automatically did make you think that the timing of this is a tad too convenient what with the Scottish & Welsh elections coming up next year….. Also with reports that Keir Starmer is currently “fighting attempts to replace him” from some within the party who are considered to be a tad too keen and a tad too ambitious as his Labour colleagues , who are now seeing an opportunity , what with the polls showing just how … Continue reading A strange kind of non-story that makes you think that the timing of this is a tad too convenient with the Scottish & Welsh elections coming up next year

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Why are only the right-wing media making an argument against 300 plus asylum seekers being sent to Inverness?

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Professor John Robertson OBA The news that the 309 young male asylum seekers arriving in Inverness are going to lead to veterans [three families] being booted out of Cameron Barracks in Inverness is only being covered by the right-wing media. I share the view that these families should absolutely be able to stay but there are other, bigger, reasons too. From BBC Highlands and Islands, 29 October 2025 A UK government minister says he recognises the “strength of feeling” about plans to use an Inverness barracks to house asylum seekers. Cameron Barracks is to provide accommodation for 309 men from next … Continue reading Why are only the right-wing media making an argument against 300 plus asylum seekers being sent to Inverness?

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BBC News Tees loses interest in trans doctor story in one day while BBC Scotland milks it for weeks and weeks – why might that be?

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By Liz S This story is now no longer on the main England page on the BBC website. It is also now the third article on the local news page for the area of Tees….yesterday it was the second article on that page. Still nothing about it on the main UK page or UK politics page. The front pages of today’s English editions of newspapers on what was the “closing submissions in this Tribunal case of these Darlington Nurses against the NHS Trust” The Telegraph – nothing on their front page on this story. The Independent – nothing on their front page on this story. The Guardian –nothing on their front page on this story. The Times – nothing on their front page on this story. The Daily Express – nothing on their front … Continue reading BBC News Tees loses interest in trans doctor story in one day while BBC Scotland milks it for weeks and weeks – why might that be?

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The Darlington ‘trans tribunal’ is focused on the Nurses and the Trust

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By Liz S BBC website article added on today 11 October. On main England page, it is now the third story, and local news page for Tees, now the second story….article only added on today 11 October ! It is on the BBC Home page , added today as an article, and already it is the ninth article but it is not on either the BBC UK main page nor is it on the UK Politics page……. The story ? “Nurses penalised for trans complaint, says lawyer” Yet again , on the ball , MSM Monitor posted this today: “The Darlington NHS trans tribunal heard closing submissions today. What did we learn? That the BBC operates two different policies north and south of the border with respect … Continue reading The Darlington ‘trans tribunal’ is focused on the Nurses and the Trust

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There is no hospital in Scotland you need fear attending but in England, 31 you might be wary of and 5 you really need to stay away from

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Professor John Robertson OBA Once again Public Health Scotland publish figures showing that all of Scotland’s hospitals are operating with the same high safety levels as each other. In the above chart we can see that all bar one, from the smaller hospitals on the left, to the giant Queen Elisabeth University Hospital on the right, no hospitals had a significantly higher standardised mortality ratio than the national average. From Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratios July 2024 to June 2025, published yesterday, the above graph and: For the period July 2024 to June 2025: HSMR is a risk-adjusted hospital mortality measure … Continue reading There is no hospital in Scotland you need fear attending but in England, 31 you might be wary of and 5 you really need to stay away from

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Nearly THREE times as many emergency patients per capita wait 12 hours or more in NHS England than in NHS Scotland

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By stewartb Campaign against austerity needed to push Westminster to support the NHS in England, NI and Wales even to match the A&E waiting times performance in Scotland – for the sake of all patients across the UK. The RCEM is an active campaigner in the cause of NHS staff and patients involved with NHS emergency services across the UK. It responds frequently to the release of official waiting times performance statistics by issuing press statements. The RCEM is especially ‘diligent’ and especially hard-hitting politically when responding to the situation in Scotland. Moreover, it seems to be accorded an especially … Continue reading Nearly THREE times as many emergency patients per capita wait 12 hours or more in NHS England than in NHS Scotland

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Breastfeeding more common for first time as Scottish Government’s most progressive and well-funded promotion programme in the UK pays-off

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Professor John Robertson OBA From Infant feeding statistics Financial year 2024 to 2025, published today, the above momentous graph and: Supporting breastfeeding is an important public health activity, with strong evidence that breastfeeding protects the health of children and mothers. The information is collected at Health Visitor reviews of children at 10-14 days (First Visit), 6-8 weeks, and 13-15 months of age. Main points There have been notable increases in breastfeeding – 69% of babies reviewed in Scotland in 2024/25 were breastfed for at least some time after their birth, compared with 63% in 2016/17. In 2024/25, and for the first time … Continue reading Breastfeeding more common for first time as Scottish Government’s most progressive and well-funded promotion programme in the UK pays-off