Two dozen ops a day cancelled during just one month by Scottish NHS
Jackie Baillie MSP and Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP.
By Democrat reporter
Responding to the news that 724 operations were cancelled during November due to capacity or non-clinical reasons, the highest figure for a year, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP commented:
“Twenty-four people per day are having their operations cancelled through no fault of their own, causing disruption and further pain. It’s frustrating for staff too but there simply aren’t enough of them to go around.
“The SNP Government have relied on the goodwill of NHS staff for far too long. There is no part of the health service which isn’t under pressure. It is time they got the resources and support they need.
“The Health Secretary has only just published the integrated workforce plan, a year late. It must now make a difference. People can’t afford for it to be added to the pile of other failed plans and strategies.”
Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP for Dumbarton and Lomond, said: “The number of cancelled operations during November, of which 118 where in Greater Glasgow and Clyde alone, reinforces what I and NHS trade unions have been saying for the last few years.
“Our NHS is at breaking point, staff are over worked, under pressure and there are simply not enough of them to go around.
“The blame lies firmly with the SNP Government. They have failed to adequately fund our NHS and ensure there is an effective workforce plan to recruit staff.
“Ultimately it’s staff and patients who are paying the price for the SNP’s failure, a price which they have been paying for far too long. It’s time the SNP acted, listened to what staff and patients have been telling them and make the right investment in health and social care services.”
The SNP’s Health Board spokesperson, Jonathan McColl, refuses to comment on this to The Democrat, as do the Conservatives.
Oh dear, another picture of our Jaqueline along with another story decrying NHS performance.
Seems it’s a bad news, that’s an SNP baad news story every couple of days. Jeepers with the way things are going you’d have thought it was the SNP who took one Westminster seat in Scotland compared to the SNPs 48.
The public certainly seem to have made up their minds about who they want to vote for. But you can’t fault an old horse from trying. But setting aside the persistent ongoing SNP baad stories based upon selective statistics, how about reporting what the NHS do good. And by goodness they do a lot of good.
24 people a day are having operations cancelled due to no fault of their own is the cry. But looking at that across Scotland that equates to less than one cancellation if you look at it on the basis of 32 council areas.
Or what about looking at it on the basis of the fourteen health boards across Scotland. That equates to less than two cancellations per health board. Not exactly a system in collapse that the Labour and Tory duo would have us believe.
Yes with a robust average of 0.75 cancellation a day per council area and 1.71 cancellations per health board one gets the picture of very low cancellation rates. Or Indeed as Jackie Baillie notes regarding the November cancellation rate for Greater Glasgow and Clyde, a conurbation of maybe one and a half million, the cancellations equate to around three per day. Again, not exactly big numbers and a health system at ‘ breaking point’ So tell us Editor, and politico’s all, how many operations does the NHS do every day. That might be quite illuminating. Thousands I’d guess but the politico’s are not telling!
Just saying like but things are not always as they seem. Don’t believe unquestionably all that you read. And yes, I think we’ve a far superior NHS here in Scotland than down south.
Tioraidh an-drasda
Ah now then Willie. I am not saying anything is inaccurate here, but … People give me lots of information. Only some of it is true. Not only should people not believe everything they read, they should not believe everything they write in the newspaper. After all, they are just reports and opinions to be challenged as you please. At least everyone except me is allowed to challenge them on pain of being thrown out of (not allowed into) the new, independent Scotland by the SNP. Why don’t their colleagues on the Council tell them that what they are doing is anti-democratic and reflects badly on their party and the Council. That goes for you too, Joyce White. You make a great paid with Jonathan McColl. As God made them, he matched them.
Editor, it is indeed a murky council that restricts access and obstructs openness. It certainly not a good thing.
Criticism however is something that this council in particular takes very badly and the recent response to allegations of procurement malpractice were most certainly testimony to that. And for the councillor who raised the concerns, rather than thank him for raising his concerns, he was instead threatened with recriminations – despite it being established that things were less than right. So it is not just you Editor who is unwelcome – but at least with you they can say you’re not IPSO registered, and that is the reason, and only reason, they won’t speak to you.
Turning however to the in many ways related issue Freedom of Information legislation both here ( and in indeed in other countries ) this legislation was introduced with the very worthwhile intention of opening up public service to public scrutiny. – thereby affording a scrutiny that would not otherwise occur were it not for the legislation.
Unfortunately freedom of information, like press access, is not something I believe this Council has any enthusiasm for. In fact I have reason to believe that the council have indulged in the non disclosure of documentation that should have been disclosed under FOI requests. But that maybe is just the other side of the particular local coin of the realm where the council deny journalistic access. – albeit that the deliberate non disclosure of information requested under FOI is illegal.
So it’s not just yourself Editor that’s banned. Is it right. I think not. But then again, if the WDC have their own £500k a year media team, why would you want to involve anyone else.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes …………..agus tioraidh an-drasda!
Being IPSO registered is not a requirement for anyone to operate as a journalist. That is nonsense. The Council is guilty of pushing fake news in this regard. They have also, through their mentally ill SNP administration leader, falsely accused me of assaulting two women. I have never on this platform written anything that is actionable in law. Does one need a medical certificate to operate as a councillor. And if so does the leader of WDC have the appropriate document? I think we should be told. As for the lily-livered councillors who have failed to make any significant protest about this to the irascible CEO, they should resign now.