Talking-up Scotland

From news.gov.scot yesterday:

‘The number of people using online feedback website Care Opinion to share their experiences of the health service has reached a record high, with positive feedback increasing by 25%. Since March 2015 there has been a cumulative rise of 345% in the number of stories shared on Care Opinion, which provides people with the opportunity to thank staff and highlight what was good and what could be improved about the health service. In 2018 a total of 3,529 stories were shared on the website, with positive feedback from the public increasing from 47% in 2015 to 72% in 2018. To date almost 200 changes have been planned or made across health services because of stories shared.’

https://news.gov.scot/news/increase-in-positive-feedback-about-scottish-nhs

Footnote: In BBC Scotland’s editorial guidelines, any improvement greater than 50% can be described as ‘whopping’ unless to do so would annoy the Conservative or Labour parties.

Footnote 2: In BBC Scotland’s editorial guidelines, getting as big a percentage drop in popularity as possible is recommended as long as the SNP is in government. For the headline, I have calculated that the 25% increase is also 53% of the 2015 figure of 47%.

Footnote 3: In BBC Scotland’s editorial guidelines, any annoying or contradicting factors weakening the report should be ignored. I have not mentioned that the increase may be in part due to greater familiarity with the system in the wider public. Using my editorial judgement, I have decided that this is not relevant because nobody in the Scottish media establishment has mentioned it, in my hearing.