SNP Government acts early to prevent NHS winter crisis in 2018/19

September 8, 2018johnrobertson834

Even the Scotsman admitted that NHS Scotland did not experience the humanitarian disaster of Winter 2017/18, suffered elsewhere in the UK:

‘It is clear – both statistically and anecdotally – that the crisis is not, currently, as extreme in Scotland. Flu rates have doubled since last year and A&E admissions are up by 20 per cent, with some people waiting longer than four hours for treatment, but though non-urgent operations have been postponed in some areas, there has been no blanket cancellation.’

https://www.scotsman.com/news/health/insight-chronic-or-acute-the-nhs-crisis-1-4655245

Despite this, the Scottish government has acted early to make sure there is no such development in the Winter to come. See this from news.gov.scot yesterday:

‘A further £10 million will be allocated to NHS boards to help cope with added pressures over the winter months. Provided earlier than ever before, the funding, which comes on top of the £9 million already allocated to support unscheduled care all year round, will allow health boards to put robust plans in place quickly. The investment will support health and social care services to increase weekend discharges where patients are fit to go home. Traditionally, the weekend discharge rate is lower than during the week, leading to a backlog of delay going into a Monday morning.’

https://news.gov.scot/news/funding-for-winter-resilience

Evidence of NHS Scotland’s resilience in the Winter of 2017/2018 was reported here:

NHS Scotland A&E significantly outperforms NHS England A&E in January 2018

‘NHS England cancelling operations at three times the rate in Scotland!’ or ‘With 10% of the population to care for, NHS Scotland cancels only 3.3% of NHS England operations cancelled in January’

As anti-SNP media scrabble desperately for a crisis in NHS Scotland, GP numbers hold constant and access for patients remains far better than in any other part of the UK

As the Herald attempts to worry us with 0.58% of nurses planning to work abroad, official statistics show NHS Scotland has many more nurses per head of population than crisis-ridden NHS England, after 10 years of SNP administration.

NHS Scotland operation cancellations fall in November and there are no plans for increased cancellations in January but in NHS England…..

Winter crisis as NHS England cancels ‘tens of thousands’ of operations and NHS Scotland cancels……… none?

JSM September 8, 2018 / 10:03 am

Reblogged this on Ramblings of a 50+ Female.

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John September 8, 2018 / 10:11 am

Good to see the SNP Government being proactive as usual , but I’ll make the sure bet we won’t get through the winter without some Unionists giving them booting for something minor ! .

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bigjon999 September 8, 2018 / 4:18 pm

Perhaps we can compare with what the English government is doing for preparing the English NHS for the next winter (all I’ve heard is that they are threatening to redeploy staff who don’t take the flu vaccination – hardly the way to win hearts and minds!).

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Alasdair Macdonald September 8, 2018 / 4:51 pm

This is an example of learning from experience and continually seeking to improve. Self-reflection is essential for effective improvement. We have to identify places where improvement is needed, but this must be set beside a prior identification of congratulation for things which have gone well. This provides a sense of perspective. The media response is to ignore achievements and to highlight and exaggerate needs for improvement, usually by having a vox pop of some allegedly egregious case. This hostile approach results in a defensiveness amongst people who feel they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. I remember early in my career working under a Head Teacher, who saw her job as finding fault, whenever anyone pointed out the things which had been done well, he response was that that was what we were being paid to do and that by pointing it out highlighted conceit and complacency.

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Ludo Thierry September 10, 2018 / 12:09 pm

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – but – ssshhh – naebody tell wee Dickie Leonard: Edit below from beeb Wales site:

Plans to give new parents a free goody box of essential items will be considered if Mark Drakeford becomes Wales’ next first minister.

Baby bundles, similar to what was introduced in Scotland in 2017, contain things such as clothes and blankets, presented in a Moses basket.

Mr Drakeford, who hopes to succeed Carwyn Jones as Labour’s next leader in Wales, would welcome a bundle pilot.

“It is a really great proposal for us to take forward in Wales,” he said.

The finance secretary is one of the main contenders to be Welsh Labour leader when Mr Jones stands down in December.

Mr Drakeford, who was health secretary between 2013 and 2016, said it would fit with Welsh Labour’s drive to tackle poverty and infant health issues.

“It could go to every parent, regardless of income, because we all need a little help at such a momentous time in our lives.”

I hope someone signs up Mark Drakeford to the SNP any day now – he’s clearly far too sensible to be stuck in the Labour party.

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