Tag: technology

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As NHS England under Labour and with increasing referrals, freezes radiologist hiring, NHS Scotland cuts diagnostic waiting times for third quarter in a row

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland on 24 November 2024, the above graph showing a reducing number waiting for diagnostic tests for the last three quarters, a steady fall since the peak in early 2022, and this for the quarter ending 30 September 2024 [most recent data]: When compared to the previous quarter-end, six of the eight key diagnostic tests saw a decrease in the number of ongoing waits reported. Waits for a CT scan showed a reduction of 11% (-3,104), colonoscopy waits reduced by 11% (-1,433), non-obstetric ultrasound reduced by 9% (-5,122), and MRI waits reduced by … Continue reading As NHS England under Labour and with increasing referrals, freezes radiologist hiring, NHS Scotland cuts diagnostic waiting times for third quarter in a row

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Ford Fiasco as Guardian reveals Scotland’s ferries cost ‘eye wateringly’ less to maintain than the average family car

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I know, I’ve done this already but seeing it in the Guardian, the newspaper of academics and professionals, is a further example of their jaundiced and/or ill-informed coverage when it comes to Scotland but, usefully, prompts me to check if that is actually a lot to spend on maintenance. So, here we go, more sums, stay with me, Primary 5-level sums. The average family car: The average large ferry: Thus, average family car annual maintenance, per passenger, per mile, costs 2p, 7.14 times that of the average large ferry, per passenger per mile. Continue reading Ford Fiasco as Guardian reveals Scotland’s ferries cost ‘eye wateringly’ less to maintain than the average family car

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Contrary to the Guardian view there IS certified water testing ‘in the UK post Brexit’ but it’s ‘so far away’ from England…….in Edinburgh

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Professor John Robertson OBA Today, in the Guardian, this shocking report for readers, in England and probably Scotland too because no one will tell them otherwise: The safety of tap water in the UK could be at risk because water companies are unable to use products to clean it, industry insiders have said, as all the laboratories that test and certify the chemicals have shut down. People in the industry have called it a “Brexit problem” because EU countries will share laboratory capacity from 2026, meaning that if the UK was still in the EU, water companies would be able to use … Continue reading Contrary to the Guardian view there IS certified water testing ‘in the UK post Brexit’ but it’s ‘so far away’ from England…….in Edinburgh

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Helen Puttick, ‘Scottish Health Correspondent’ in her Times article appears to be intent on misinforming readers and voters

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By stewartb From the disingenuous article in the Times yesterday: ‘In England Wes Streeting is demanding change in return for extra funding.’ What change? Something called ‘zero-tolerance’ and the introduction of ‘league tables’! Source: Nuffield Trust – ‘responds to announcement of new “zero tolerance for failure” NHS reforms‘ Press release November 13. ‘.. there is a danger the actions announced by the Secretary of State will worsen some of the patterns that got us into this mess. We know from the special measures for quality regime that “naming and shaming” NHS trusts can make it harder to recruit staff, which doesn’t help patient … Continue reading Helen Puttick, ‘Scottish Health Correspondent’ in her Times article appears to be intent on misinforming readers and voters

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Giftgate – Sarwar and Ross get freebies worth 20 times those of any SNP politician!

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Under the headline What expensive gifts have Scotland’s politicians declared? and the above image, BBC Scotland report: In the wake of a row over gifts received by high-ranking members of the Labour party, people are now scrutinising the freebies accepted by politicians in Scotland. These items, sometimes worth thousands of pounds, have to be declared on a public record. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar declared the highest value of gifts, at £10,117.48, closely followed by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross’ £10,028.72. Clearly disappointed, BBC Scotland leave this till well down their report: Health Secretary Neil Gray, whose remit also includes … Continue reading Giftgate – Sarwar and Ross get freebies worth 20 times those of any SNP politician!

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As US spy technology firm risks patient safety how the SNP Government protected you

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: There are “serious safety risks” for patients in the rollout of electronic health records in hospitals across England, a charity has warned. Patient Safety Learning said incidents involving new systems were likely to be under-reported and must be flagged. It has urged the government to ensure adverse-incident reports are monitored more effectively. One trust reported more than 900 incidents, including potential patient harms after it rolled out new software. Might this be the reason for the above and the lack of a similar crisis in NHS Scotland? From the Guardian in November 2023: The NHS is to hand a key … Continue reading As US spy technology firm risks patient safety how the SNP Government protected you

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Six month disruption for Vancouver travellers as propeller drops off 60-year old Canadian ferry.

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60 year-old BC Ferries Queen of New Westminster, with those doors or lack of doors, which can give drivers a bit of added fun in high seas judging by this shot from a similar neighbouring Washington State ferry: From Marine Log today: BC Ferries says that its 60-year old Queen of New Westminster ferry will be out of service for six months after an incident that occurred September 3 near the Tawwassen Terminal. It was discovered that the vessel’s starboard propeller had sheared off from the propeller shaft, with some 800 liters of light hydraulic oil spilling into surrounding waters. The Queen of … Continue reading Six month disruption for Vancouver travellers as propeller drops off 60-year old Canadian ferry.

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Man dies of cancer after delays four times longer than target and police investigate the hospital but the Health Secretary gets no mention

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In April 2021, we could write: 8 deaths in NHS England, police investigate, but no mention of Matt Hancock after BBC Lancashire wrote: A police investigation into the neglect of patients at a hospital is now examining eight deaths, the BBC has discovered. A coroner has been asked to review the deaths at Blackpool Victoria Infirmary, which all happened in late 2018. A separate and unrelated murder investigation into the death of another patient is ongoing. before failing to even mention the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, while in 2019, SNP Health Secretary was fully exposed (above) for allegedly concealing an infection death though … Continue reading Man dies of cancer after delays four times longer than target and police investigate the hospital but the Health Secretary gets no mention

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Castles made of sand and radioactive particles linked to infant leukaemia – are the Ayrshire Labour candidates relaxed about that?

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By Professor John Robertson Thanks to Frances McKie for alerting me to this. The above two Labour candidates in Ayrshire constituencies have beaches where children play and both are, whether they want to be or not, because Sir Keir tells them to be, supporters of the reintroduction of nuclear power stations across Scotland and, in particular on the the Ayrshire coast, which is still popular on hot sunny weekends with families from all over the West of Scotland. Sand castle building is still a thing. I see them often on my dog walks. The children building them get right into … Continue reading Castles made of sand and radioactive particles linked to infant leukaemia – are the Ayrshire Labour candidates relaxed about that?

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MPs on UK defence – increasingly reliant on allies to protect UK national interests whilst equipment budget for its nuclear weapons soars by 62% (that’s £38.2 billion)

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Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ … and the ONLY Royal Navy ship able to fully replenish the UK’s aircraft carriers will be unavailable for a year because of a refit! By stewartb It’s always relevant to amplify new information about the actual state of this UK nation-state, the one within which we in Scotland are supposedly ‘better together’. Is the UK all that it’s cracked up to be in Unionist messaging? Notwithstanding the fact that in the Union the … Continue reading MPs on UK defence – increasingly reliant on allies to protect UK national interests whilst equipment budget for its nuclear weapons soars by 62% (that’s £38.2 billion)