Tag: scotland

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Why has there been a massive but unreported reduction in the number of children on the child protection register in Scotland and a widening gap with the other 3 nations?

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Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair This caught me off-guard today. I was astonished to read this and to see that it is not a major news item for ‘our’ media. From the Scottish Government, yesterday: On 31 July 2024, 2,129 children were on the child protection register, representing a 3% increase on 2023 (2,077) and a 26% decrease on 2014 (2,877). During the year, 3,167 children were registered onto the child protection register, representing a 2% decrease on 2022-23 (3,234) and a 31% decrease on 2013-14 (4,622). https://www.gov.scot/publications/childrens-social-work-statistics-child-protection-2023-24/ These are massive reductions in only 10 years … Continue reading Why has there been a massive but unreported reduction in the number of children on the child protection register in Scotland and a widening gap with the other 3 nations?

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Scotland has been putting patient safety first since 2007 and former Labour or Tory Health Secretaries could have copied us but didn’t

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Professor John Robertson OBA It’s a bit much, Jeremy Hunt now worrying about patient safety, 15 years after he could have learned how to do it, 18 years after Labour could have, from SNP-led Scotland. In the Guardian, yesterday, the above, and: I am worried about something else being missed. In the huge blizzard of organisational change, there is a risk of eyes going off the ball when it comes to broader patient safety risks. In December, the charity I set up, Patient Safety Watch, published a report put together by a team of people at Imperial College London led by Prof … Continue reading Scotland has been putting patient safety first since 2007 and former Labour or Tory Health Secretaries could have copied us but didn’t

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Disappearing the Celts

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Professor John Robertson OBA Back in 1990, I did research into history teaching across the UK and Europe. You’ll not be surprised to know that the history curriculum in Croatia then was a bit blood and soil but across eastern and central Europe it was still pretty ethnic nationalist, uncritically lauding their own heroes and damning their neighbours. Only Germany looked to be really shaking off these darker aspects as they fought to recover from the horrors of World War II. In Britain including in Scotland, the victories against Napoleon, the Kaiser and Hitler were still dominant topics. While there … Continue reading Disappearing the Celts

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It’s not a scare story, it’s fact – essential PPE supplies during Covid were prioritised by UK Government for England and denied to care homes in Scotland yet, later, we helped them out

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Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks once again to AR for alerting me to this. Ignored, of course, by BBC Scotland and somewhat downplayed by STV in ‘Scotland didn’t have a Covid PPE VIP lane and we didn’t need one’ at https://news.stv.tv/politics/scotland-didnt-have-a-covid-ppe-vip-lane-and-we-didnt-need-one, this is a shocking revelation of how, when the going got tough, Scotland did not benefit from the Union but, rather, was actively harmed by it. The above short video is a must watch and share for any who doubt the true nature of Scotland’s position in the UK. Nearly 5 years ago we knew this but the ‘Scottish’ … Continue reading It’s not a scare story, it’s fact – essential PPE supplies during Covid were prioritised by UK Government for England and denied to care homes in Scotland yet, later, we helped them out

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Unless Labour further attack the poor, Scotland could hit its 2030 child poverty target in a unique demonstration of compassion and understanding of why child poverty must be eradicated, in the interests of all of us

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By Professor John Robertson OBA, former Faculty Research Ethics Chair, UWS The above prediction, from Achieving the 2030 Child Poverty Target published today by the IPPR Scotland, suggests that with the Scottish Child Payment and with compensation for the UK Universal Benefit, two child limit, Scotland could hit its fist child poverty target of 18%. The authors however, make clear that this might be sabotaged by wider UK Government economic policies including benefit cuts, increasing poverty across the UK. Why, need I remind you, does this matter to all of us? Here’s why: From Turning the tide What it will take to reduce child … Continue reading Unless Labour further attack the poor, Scotland could hit its 2030 child poverty target in a unique demonstration of compassion and understanding of why child poverty must be eradicated, in the interests of all of us

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A sustainable pharmacy network that increases patient access to essential NHS care – Now that is a news story that will never be touched

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By Liz S Brexit has had many negative impacts in the UK. Unfortunately the two main UK parties were and still are more focused on trying to out Brexit each other to care about it’s damaging consequences, hence why Reeves, Kendall, Starmer are currently punishing the “many” to protect the “few”. “Scotland’s model for pharmacy offers lessons for England’s future“ Now that is a news story that will never be touched by the BBC Reporting Scotland news team as they are way too consumed in trying to convince us that Scotland should follow England, in everything, especially all of the … Continue reading A sustainable pharmacy network that increases patient access to essential NHS care – Now that is a news story that will never be touched

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A Professor, 11 years after BBC Scotland told Deacon Blue his research was ‘poor quality’, supposed CalMac supporters say his work is ‘not to be taken seriously’ but when challenged cannot offer any evidence

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Professor John Robertson OBA, former teacher, education lecturer, Associate Dean for Quality Assurance and Faculty Research Ethics Chair – why the F would I lie about anything when I don’t need to? First They Ignore You, Then They Laugh at You, Then They Attack You, Then….. In 2014, BBC Scotland accused me of bringing my employer, the University of the West of Scotland, AND the BBC, into disrepute. They copied in my boss, the Principal and vice Chancellor. For two weeks I feared for my job and if I’d worked in an ‘ancient’ university, might well have been reprimanded, even … Continue reading A Professor, 11 years after BBC Scotland told Deacon Blue his research was ‘poor quality’, supposed CalMac supporters say his work is ‘not to be taken seriously’ but when challenged cannot offer any evidence

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Many are glad of this:  the Scottish Government ‘directly boosting the incomes of parents claiming means-tested benefits’ and ‘pursuing a different social security agenda’ from Westminster

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By stewartb – a long read As the British Labour Party government in Westminster targets the Department for Work and Pensions for budget cuts, a London-based think-tank with a high media profile has acknowledged the positive impact on levels of child poverty of actions and financial commitments of the Scottish Government, by necessity through use of its devolved powers. The Resolution Foundation describes its mission as ‘improving the living standards of those on low-to-middle incomes.’ It claims to be ‘the leading UK authority on securing widely-shared economic growth.’ Its previous CEO, Torsten Bell  (2015-24) is now the Labour MP for … Continue reading Many are glad of this:  the Scottish Government ‘directly boosting the incomes of parents claiming means-tested benefits’ and ‘pursuing a different social security agenda’ from Westminster

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How BBC England exposes the threat to GP surgeries of Labour’s National Insurance hike but BBC Scotland hides it and tries to blame Scottish Government instead

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Professor John Robertson OBA BBC England, quite clear about the major threat to GP surgeries, in their headline above, and: GP practices could be pushed “over the edge” by a planned rise in the National Insurance (NI) rate for employers, a doctor has said. The government has said the NHS and the rest of the public sector would be shielded from the rise but that does not cover GP practices, many of which are run as small businesses. Dr Andrew Purbrick, who represents 300 GP practices across the south of England, said many would be forced to cut back on … Continue reading How BBC England exposes the threat to GP surgeries of Labour’s National Insurance hike but BBC Scotland hides it and tries to blame Scottish Government instead

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From the ‘Murder Capital’ of Europe to the safest place in the UK in less than 20 years but clearly too quickly for journalists, writers or comedians to adapt to

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That should read ‘treat’. How an otherwise excellent comedian continued to get laughs out an outdated image of the country with the lowest domestic violence levels in the UK. Professor John Robertson OBA This was first published in Scots Independent in February 2025 In 2005, only 20 years ago, according to the United Nations, Glasgow had the highest murder rate in the UK, higher than in Albania or Romania and was referred to in the media as the ‘Murder Capital of Europe.’ Scotland had a murder rate three times higher than in other parts of the UK. In sharp contrast … Continue reading From the ‘Murder Capital’ of Europe to the safest place in the UK in less than 20 years but clearly too quickly for journalists, writers or comedians to adapt to