Talking-up Scotland

A report commissioned for the General Medical Council has found that doctors from ethnic minorities are treated as outsiders by their bosses and peers in England and Wales but seem to be treated with more respect in Scotland. The report has been headlined across the English media but ignored in Scotland.

The research was based on:

A total of 262 individuals participated in the study, comprising 221 from secondary care and 41 participants from primary care in all four nations. Our sample included Specialty and Associate Specialist (SAS) and locum doctors and General Practitioners (GPs) across Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and White ethnicities, who were overseas and UK graduates, as well as Consultants, Responsible Officers (ROs), Medical Directors (MDs), Human Resources Directors (HRDs) and Clinical Directors. (4)

Notably, the researchers did not find the same trend in Scotland. See these extracts:

[T] here was a strong narrative this group [BAME] faced strong outgroup bias and exclusion, with SAS doctors viewed as “workhorses”, “invisible labour”, “second class citizens” and “nameless and faceless”. Notably, this narrative was absent in Scotland. (61)

Many are from BAME backgrounds and large numbers are IMG or EEA graduates. These doctors are far more likely to be male than female in all but the youngest age groups (though not in Scotland). (62)

SAS doctors in Scotland seemed more optimistic about their chances of becoming consultants. We noted differences in demographic composition in Scotland where SAS doctors are more likely to be White and more likely to be female. We observed White female doctors becoming SAS doctors as a career choice; there also was a more proactive approach to SAS professional/career development in Scotland, an apparent reflection of the sustained development effort by the Scottish Deanery. (63)

https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/fair-to-refer-report_pdf-79011677.pdf

 

By Ludo Thierry 

Thanks to this Freedom of Information response published yesterday we can see one reason for the dramatic fall in crime in …

Not only a dramatic fall in crime rates but also a 20 year low in criminal reconviction rates. (Note the major impacts of Community Payback Orders which have been promoted by the SNP Scottish Govt as an alternative to custodial sentences). Link and snippets from news.gov.scot below:

https://news.gov.scot/news/reducing-reoffending-1

Reconviction rate remains at lowest level in 20 years.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has welcomed official figures showing Scotland’s reconviction rate remains at its lowest level since records began.

Almost three-quarters of people released from prison or given a non-custodial sentence in 2016-17 were not convicted again within 12 months – the same level as 2015-16. Meanwhile, the average number of reconvictions per offender was 0.48, representing a 16% fall over the last decade.

The National Statistics also showed that those released from a short prison sentence of 12 months or less were reconvicted nearly twice as often than those sentenced to serve community payback orders (CPOs), the most commonly used community sentence.

Background: The reconviction rate, is defined as the proportion of offenders who are reconvicted within a year after being released from a custodial sentence or given a non-custodial sentence.

The average number of reconvictions per offender, is the number of times, on average, that offenders in a cohort are reconvicted within a year after being released from a custodial sentence or given a non-custodial sentence.

In May the Scottish Government laid an affirmative order in the Scottish Parliament to extend the current presumption against short prison sentences of three months or less to 12 months or less – in order to encourage the greater use of more effective community sentences.

The full Parliament is due to vote on the order this week, following scrutiny and approval by the Justice Committee. If passed, the changes will come into force this summer.

https://news.gov.scot/news/reconviction-statistics-2016-17

Over the longer term, in the decade between 2007-08 and 2016-17, the reconviction rate decreased by 4 percentage points from 31.2% to 27.2%. In the same period, the average number of reconvictions per offender has decreased by 16% from 0.57 to 0.48.

The reconviction rate for custodial sentences was 42.3% in 2016-17, which is a decrease of 1.4 percentage points from 43.7% in 2015-16. The average number of reconvictions for custodial sentences decreased by 5% from 0.86 to 0.82 in the same period.

The reconviction rate for CPOs (Community Payback Orders), the most commonly used community sentence, was 31.2% in 2016-17, which was nearly identical to the figure of 31.1% 2015-16. The average number of reconvictions per offender for CPOs was 0.55 in 2016-17 which was the same as the previous year.

18.5% of individuals given a non-court disposal by the police in 2016-17 (such as a warning or fine), and 14.5% of individuals given a non-court disposal by COPFS, received another non-court disposal within a year.

BoJo and his tartan cronies will be doing their collective nuts that the SNP Scottish Govt is delivering these significant improvements and doing the Day Job thing despite the multiple obstacles the Westminster/Whitehall political system puts in their way. Next stop = Indy.

In a report ostensibly triggered by Scotrail improvements, Reporting Scotland were to present a very negative picture. Opening with this:

‘Scotrail claims more trains are running on time and fewer services are being cancelled months after the government told the operator to improve its performance’

but over the above image, we got some early warnings that all was not going to be joy and celebration.

Before I go any further, I need to give the conspiracy theorist disclaimer. There was none. I didn’t and won’t say there ever was one. After years and years, this way of reporting comes naturally to the team at Pacific Quay and elsewhere in our MSM. It feels right to them. I know from twitter exchanges with a few of them that they absolutely do not believe they are biased. That’s why its perfect propaganda.

I had to laugh at the ‘OFF’ combined with news of improvements. Why ‘claims’ we wonder when these are transparent data entirely open to public scrutiny? It’s the kind of almost automatic insertion that tells you the unconscious mind of the writer of that sentence was already pre-disposed to be negative, untrusting, about the source of the figures. When you then hear the presenter say ‘months after’ you get another taste of this negativity. She sounds like a disappointed parent when a child has cleaned up their room ‘months after’ she told them to. It will be here for a few hours:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0006bm8/reporting-scotland-evening-news-24062019

So that’s the headline. Let’s have a look at the report and, notably how much or little was about the headline news of improvements. There were 21 statements by presenters and the Scotrail representative but only 11 of these were about the actual improvements which had triggered the report. The other 10 were repeated reminders of ‘a grim new year’ of ‘waves of cancellations’ and of ‘packed trains.’

So, Mr and Mrs Henderson, having watched the report, how do you think Scotrail is doing?

‘Doing? They’re terrible! Always late and always overcrowded! I blame Nicola Sturgeon. What, they’ve improved since the New year, six months ago? I should think so too. Six months to sort things out? Disgraceful……………………………

 

 

Last Thursday Cole-Hamilton asked:

https://www.parliament.scot/S5ChamberOffice/WA20190620.pdf

Though Cole-Hamilton appears to have read the above 76% figure in the 2019, From the Frontline, report, it is referring to the 2017, Destination GP, report which contains the actual results from the RCGP research into attitudes. The 2017 survey findings are based on only 9.4% of the 3 680 students in 30 UK medical schools from May to July 2017. Not only is this a small sample, it is a self-selecting sample, biased toward those holding a negative viewpoint, but it is also a UK-wide survey with no Scottish breakdown and thus not a valid indicator of morale amongst Scottish students.

file:///D:/Users/John/Downloads/RCGP-destination-GP-nov-2017.pdf

file:///D:/Users/John/Downloads/RCGP-scotland-frontline-june-2019%20(3).pdf

Given the numerous indicators that GP practice in Scotland is a considerably preferable experience to that in parts of England, it seems unlikely the results would be similar here. For evidence see:

Why did BBC Breakfast pretend GP staffing figures for Scotland are not available?

Big increase in number of women GPs is excellent news for Scotland

No GP Crisis in Scotland but..

Report of GP staffing crisis in England appears before Scottish media can fake equivalent story

Scottish GP vacancy rate now only one -third of that in non-Scottish parts of UK

In the Scotsman today, 93% of Scottish patients get appointment with GP within 2 days!

Lib Dems feed STV with dubious tale of GPs working too many hours

Scottish GP Contract rated ‘far superior’ by BMA, introduced today, to strengthen patient care

 

Thanks to a parliamentary question from Miles Briggs MSP, we can reveal that the number of funded medical places is to be increased from 848 in 2015 to 1 038 by 2021.

Click to access WA20190620.pdf

This comes after news revealing that Scotland already has 92 GPs per 100 000 population while England has only 73 or 25% less!

SHOCK Scotland has far more staff including consultants and GPs per head of population

 

Thanks to this Freedom of Information response published yesterday we can see one reason for the dramatic fall in crime in Scotland over the years since 2007:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/578451/response/1385938/attach/html/3/finalResponse%20201900001793.pdf.html

(c) newscabal

From Insider yesterday:

‘The Scottish economy grew between January and March this year despite uncertainty around the UK’s expected departure from the EU, according to official figures. Statistics published on Wednesday show GDP in the country grew at the same rate as that of the UK – 0.5% – over the period. It represents the ninth consecutive quarter of growth for the Scottish economy. Analysis suggests growth in the quarter was driven by the manufacturing and construction sectors, which grew by 2.6% and 2% respectively. Two sub-sectors of manufacturing – food and drink and pharmaceutical – account for more than half of the 0.5% growth during the quarter, with some suggestions the increase in manufacturing is due to stockpiling for Brexit.’

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/manufacturing-construction-drive-ninth-quarter-16542538

GDP is of course an increasingly contested measure of the health of any economy. See this:

When will Scotland’s economics correspondents catch up with current thinking on GDP? When they can find something else to attack the SNP with.

For more useful information on the robust Scottish economy, see:

Yet more objective evidence Scotland’s economy healthy in SNP care

Scottish labour market outperforms UK revealing more evidence of health in economy

Umpteenth post on underlying strength in Scottish economy: Property investment up 19.8%!

Scottish business confidence well above UK average

SNP blamed as private businesses experience too much demand and overcrowding with new staff second only to Labour-mayored London.

Scottish business confidence stays high…Ah but!..Oh shut up Revoking Scotland!

63% fall in large business insolvencies as Scottish economy reveals strength

See this Douglas? Business investment in Scotland up 250%!

Scottish Business Strength No.77: Small Scottish construction firms’ growth up 17%

Scottish small businesses still more confident than those in non-Scottish parts

Business activity soars to four-year high across manufacturing and service

Business confidence in Scotland soars by 24% while it sinks 29% in non-Scottish parts of UK

Scottish businesses more likely to be stable than those in rest of UK: News from a parallel universe unknown to our mainstream media

Scottish Government supports economy with new business rates unique in UK

 

 

From Scottish Housing News yesterday:

‘Scottish Help to Buy figures ‘highlight potential for disparity’ with rest of UK. News of the success of the Scottish Government’s Help to Buy shared equity scheme has been welcomed by Homes for Scotland (HFS) but the trade body has emphasised the importance of maintaining a level playing field across the border. New figures published yesterday revealed that more than 30,000 households have been helped to buy their home through Scottish Government support schemes since 2007. The details show that, over the last three years, more than 7,000 households have been able to purchase a new build home with just a 5% deposit. They also reveal that the number of First Time Buyers using the scheme has increased to over 80% and that the number of purchasers who had previously been living with parents or relatives had risen to 45%.’

https://www.scottishhousingnews.com/article/scottish-help-to-buy-figures-highlight-potential-for-disparity-with-rest-of-uk

Other positive news on housing in Scotland:

Scotland’s affordable housing supply continues to increase ahead of non-Scottish parts

‘Social housing: One of Scotland’s best kept secrets?’ Tell our Nomedia

92% of Scots happy with their housing!

SNP Government builds affordable/social housing at almost twice the rate of Tories in England

Scotland increasingly ‘streets ahead’ of England on affordable housing delivery

Scottish social housing more accessible and cheaper than in rest of UK

Good news on affordable housing from the Scotsman despite unnecessary quotation marks, a wee ‘despite’ and a ‘but’

Once more, an East Renfrewshire social rent housing project in Scottish Housing News forgets to credit the huge Scottish Government subsidy

 

 

Despite constant pressure from suppliers of lower quality sandwiches in non-Scottish parts of the UK and the absence of proper border checks, Scotland’s hospitals have had no incidents of hospital acquired infections connected to, after, linked to, from, or because of, food products, in the last five years. Confirmation of this is thanks to Monica Lennon (Labour Branch North):

https://www.parliament.scot/S5ChamberOffice/WA20190619.pdf

(c) North East Scotland College

Thanks to a parliamentary question from Mary Fee (Labour Branch North), yesterday, we can see strong growth in the number of Social Services (Children and Young People) modern apprenticeship starts

• 2016-17 1 319
• 2017-18 1 492
• 2018-19 1 869

This gives growth over just two years of 41.69%.

https://www.parliament.scot/S5ChamberOffice/WA20190619.pdf