Despite a 10% increase in those attending A&E departments over the last five years, Scotland’s performance across 2017 averaged 92.9% seen within four hours. Scotland’s A&E service has now significantly outperformed those of NHS England by around 10% for more than two years. See:
Due to a spike in flu outbreaks and falls due to ice, the figure for week ending 10th December has fallen to 86.9%. I can only imagine what Reporting Scotland are making of this. Calls for resignations? NHS England have not released figures for this period yet but for week-ending November 17, it was 83% in Type 1 departments (with consultants).
Talking-up Scotland 
Of course, BBC Scotland has reported the low figure as ‘the worst results since the targets were set.’
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She is passing the buck , because ice is causing accidents and pushing figures a little higher , that’s what they are saying of Shona Robinson . Get the weather sorted Shona , switch on summer !
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In the Unionist controlled council areas of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire the councillors seem to have abrogated their duty of care responsibilities to pedestrians and passed their savings on costs of not making pavements and footpaths onto the NHS Scotland as an extra burden.
This has not gone unnoticed by the general public.
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Hopefully this fantastic initiative from Christina McKelvie MSP (SNP) and Councillor Jennifer Marrs (SNP) will prevent a few preventable admissions to A+E – and be extended more widely (from today’s National):
Food bank users to get help with their energy bills in pilot scheme
FOOD bank users will get help to switch the power on in a new pilot scheme.
Lifeline credit for heating and lighting will be available to residents of a Scottish council area thanks to a deal struck by SNP politicians with a major power company.
The Quick Credit Voucher scheme was offered for the first time in South Lanarkshire two weeks ago as temperatures plummeted below 0°C.
Since then Hamilton District Food Bank has issued “quite a number” of referrals to the ScottishPower initiative, which is only open to the power giant’s customers and provides £49 worth of power.
Delivered through the company’s hardship fund, which aims to help customers who are struggling to pay their bills, the vouchers have been provided after talks between bosses, local MSP Christina McKelvie and councillor Julia Marrs.
Credit also to Hamilton District Food bank and Scottish Power. Not so long ago I suspect Scottish Power execs would not have been ‘permitted’ to work with SNP elected public officials to establish imaginative and progressive schemes such as this. Remember – we are in the early days of a new and better nation – we need to keep the push on.
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cheering report, thanks
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Much needed initiative. Our housing stock is a disgrace: cold, draughty, damp, hard to heat – is the experience of too many.
Can I suggest that those of us of a certain age, and if we can afford to do so, donate our Winter Fuel freeby to charity?
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Yes, credit to Scottish Power for participating in this initiative. Since I retired I have been doing voluntary work for a charity and companies like SSE and Scottish Power allow staff a number of days on full pay to undertake charitable works in the community. I have organised several of these. The staff involved have all been excellent in terms of their attitude to what they are undertaking and have got through (excuse me!) a POWER of work on the days. Undoubtedly, they find it a satisfying activity and, undoubtedly, their attitude towards their employer is much improved. I am sure that the benefits to companies in terms of staff satisfaction, productivity, attendance as well as the good PR, is very high.
What we see is that the people within companies are people with the same decent instincts as the vast majority of us. It is the dehumanised ‘corporate’ aspect which has the malign effect. Of course, we must not reify companies, because it is the decisions of real people which impact on us. I suspect it is those who are far from ‘the customer interface’ who deal with balance sheets and maximising returns, as a mathematical exercise, to ‘boost shareholder value, but, in reality, ensuring they earn huge bonuses, awarded by committees comprising people like themselves from other companies.
I agree with Broadbield with regard to Winter Fuel payments. My wife and I have done this since we first became eligible 10 years ago. We are not prepared to give up our Winter Fuel payment, because it is simply part of the NI contributions we made over the preceding 40+ years and is budgeted for within the pensions, but ‘packaged’ as a ‘bonus’, not an entitlement, for which we have paid our dues. It is presented as such so that the politicians (“Something for nothing society – Ms Johan Lamont MSP) and the vile media can present as scrounging, selfish baby boomers. I urge those who do donate to ensure that they claim Gift Aid, too!
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Grampian say 39% of their extra patients had fallen on the ice
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