Why does only NHS England need to declare an amber cold warning when its far colder here? Is it because our NHS is more resilient generally and because Swinney launched the flu vaccine programme two weeks earlier?

Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian on 31 December 2025: The NHS is under “extraordinary pressure” and braced for a new year surge in sick patients as amber cold health alerts were issued for the whole of England. While the number of patients in hospital with flu is levelling off, according to data published on Wednesday, health leaders said the NHS was “not out of danger yet” with temperatures expected to plummet. On Wednesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued amber warnings for every region of England, which will be in place between 8pm on Wednesday until 10am next Tuesday. Previously, only north-east and … Continue reading Why does only NHS England need to declare an amber cold warning when its far colder here? Is it because our NHS is more resilient generally and because Swinney launched the flu vaccine programme two weeks earlier?

Scots 28% more likely to find it easy to contact their GP than in Wales

By Professor John Robertson OBA From Measuring NHS experience and satisfaction across the UK – A summary of the cross-UK comparability of NHS experience and satisfaction data. 30 May 2024, the above graph and data revealing a marked contrast between the accessibility of GPs in Scotland as opposed to in England and, even more so, in Labour-run Wales. Scotland has 27.3% more GPs than England. The Welsh figure? Can see that. Homework dear reader? Sources: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthcaresystem/articles/measuringnhsexperienceandsatisfactionacrosstheuk/2024-05-30#measuring-nhs-experience-and-satisfaction-across-the-uk-data https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/sep/04/nhs-faces-tipping-point-in-england-where-most-appointments-will-not-be-with-gps https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/media/v00by43i/2023_gp_workforce_survey_report.html#:~:text=Information%20from%202012%20to%202023,2023%2C%20equivalent%20to%203%2C478.4%20WTE Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown Award) at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/ The Oliver Brown Award for advancing the cause of Scotland’s self … Continue reading Scots 28% more likely to find it easy to contact their GP than in Wales