Latest news with #FreedomofInformation
Scotsman
10 hours ago
- Health
- Scotsman
The scandal of Scottish NHS nurse forced to go private by long waiting list for urgent health check
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In October 2024, after a routine cervical screening, Helen* received an urgent referral for further gynaecological checks. This should have taken no more than two weeks, as Helen, an NHS nurse for 30 years, knew well. Yet after three months, Helen still had not heard anything. After chasing up her referral, Helen spoke to a woman who told her that there was a lengthy backlog of urgent referrals and that she herself was on a waiting list. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When it comes to women's health, the SNP government is all hot air and little action. Its much-trumpeted Women's Health Plan set out measures to increase access to cervical smear tests, a vital tool in the early identification of cancer. Yet four years on, the latest Public Health Scotland figures showed that only around half of Scottish women in the poorest areas were taking up screening, far less than the 80 per cent target. Hard-pressed NHS staff know how the system is supposed to work and the reality of long waiting lists for treatment (Picture: Christopher Furlong) | Getty Images A five-year wait Meanwhile, it is NHS England that is taking the lead in rolling out DIY smear test kits. Screening, though, is only effective if it is backed up with action. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sadly, Helen is not alone in waiting in limbo for a gynaecological appointment, the clinical term for appointments covering women's reproductive health. One woman in NHS Highland had to wait more than five years, while others in NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Tayside have been forced to wait more than four and three-and-a-half years respectively, according to Freedom of Information data obtained by Scottish Labour. Indeed, the average ongoing wait for an inpatient appointment at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was nearly a year. Gynaecological appointments cover everything from the keyhole surgery needed to identify endometriosis to prolapsed wombs and complex contraception, but even when it comes to cancer, women can be left in limbo for months. According to the SNP government's own standard, no patient is supposed to wait more than 62 days from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment – but in the first quarter of 2025, performance against this standard was at its worst point on record. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Supposed to be a progressive society' In Helen's case, faced with a 69-week wait, she ended up paying for a private consultation instead, which thankfully gave her the all clear. But she remains concerned that other women caught up in the backlog may not be as lucky. As she told me: "This is serious – we are supposed to be a progressive society but we are failing women. I know from my own background as a nurse that an urgent referral is for anything that is a recognised red flag requiring further diagnostic tests. "I worry that someone could die because their cancer was not picked up soon enough, and that in turn will impact their whole family.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To Helen, no matter how many plans an SNP government publishes, if women are being forced to wait 69 weeks for urgent gynaecology appointments, they are being failed. It's time for a new direction on women's health.
Daily Record
15 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Record
NHS Forth Valley says it can reduce FOI backlog and stop enforcement action
Local health board wants assurances that all departments will play their part in responding to FOI requests. NHS Forth Valley's board has been assured that the local health service will be able to tackle a backlog of FOI requests to stop the threat of enforcement action by the Scottish Information Commissioner. As a public body, NHS Forth Valley has an obligation to respond to Freedom of Information requests within 20 days but it has faced a persistent backlog since 2022. The information commissioner, David Hamilton, raised his concerns in November 2023 and again the following year and in recent months his team have been meeting regularly with NHS Forth Valley. The board heard that efforts have been made to get back on track, which included taking on additional staff and getting temporary support. However, NHS Forth Valley has not been able to sustain the improvements needed and earlier this month, the commissioner escalated his concerns to level three, which means he considers that there is "serious systemic practice failure". Mr Hamilton wrote to chief executive Ross McGuffie, highlighting his concerns about the lack of progress and outlining specific targets and timescales for NHS Forth Valley to meet. The Commissioner wants to see: • An average of 80 per cent of all requests to be responded to within 20 working days by the end of September. • An average of more than 90 per cent of all requests to be responded to within 20 working days by the end of December. If NHS Forth Valley fails to meet these targets, enforcement action will be taken. A report to the health board this week said it is "fully recognised that the Board's performance in responding to FOI enquiries is not where it needs to be and efforts continue to improve local response times and reduce delays". However, members were assured that steps have already been taken to respond to the demand for action and NHS Forth Valley is in dialogue with the commissioner's office. The board heard that the team responsible for responding to Freedom of Information requests now has two new members of staff, who started this month, taking the total number of staff to four. Members heard that the backlog, which was reported to the meeting as 202 overdue requests, is steadily reducing and that should become quicker as the new staff settle in. The commissioner is also expecting to see an improvement in how internal reviews - when a requester asks an authority to review its handling of their information request - are handled. At the time the report was written, there were 12 open internal reviews, 11 of which are overdue. These are an important step in the appeals process and the commissioner wants 90 per cent of all reviews to be responded to within 20 working days by end of September. However, the report highlighted that improvements are needed across the whole organisation and all departments will have a responsibility to provide the FOI team with requested information quickly. Several board members asked for assurances that departments have the capacity to support the response, especially given how tight the timetable is. Sarah Hughes-Jones, Head of Information Governance, told members that she was confident that departments are now being supported to respond to requests and that the new arrangements will allow them to meet the commissioner's targets. Andrew Murray, medical director, added that the senior leadership team would take responsibility to monitor the situation and make sure that the necessary improvements are delivered.
Irish Independent
16 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Verdict on 100-plus charges against Manchester City could be months away with further delays in sight
Some club leaders have even speculated that it might arrive in the campaign's second international break, from 4-18 October, given previous patterns regarding similar cases. An outcome was expected last season, given that the hearing concluded in early December. It has nevertheless rumbled on into the summer, and means another season faces the weight of potential upheaval and drastic change through possible points deductions. Manchester City stridently insist upon their innocence. Actual details of the process have been kept under lock and key, with only those directly involved knowing exactly how it is going, due to the sensitivity of the case. The charges involve accusations of City breaching football's financial regulations, and Freedom of Information requests revealed that the British embassy in Abu Dhabi discussed the case. Bloomberg even reported that UAE officials raised the charges in a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in 2024, but Lammy said it was a matter for the Premier League. Insiders with knowledge of certain aspects of the investigation are nevertheless predicting a September-October outcome, with some believing it will come in one of the international breaks. The initial outcome of City's Associated Party Transaction case ended up arriving on October 7 2024, which was at the start of that period's Fifa window. Such stances have nevertheless been subject to change, given there was previously a widespread view that the initial decisions would be published around Easter, and the end of April. The controversy - which has now been ongoing since the initial Der Spiegel 'Football Leaks' in November 2018 and resulted in the Premier League announcing 100-plus charges in February 2023 - is commonly seen as an 'existential moment' for the league and the wider game regardless of outcome. ADVERTISEMENT Premier League insiders say it has also had another effect, which is in delaying proper governance. Clubs are now unwilling to push through or even suggest any major changes in the running of the competition, due to the belief that the outcome of the case could change absolutely everything. There is also a split between clubs regarding what should happen if the most severe charges are proven and City are punished. While a minority would push for outright expulsion in such an event, that is seen as unlikely since it would require a special shareholder vote and a majority of 15 clubs. Other clubs are more in favour of a potential punishment allowing everyone to get on with it, as they feel the controversy is now causing undue damage to the Premier League. That very view is nevertheless seen by other executives as a concerted 'tactic' by City, since the stakeholders are more likely to become fatigued by the process the longer it goes on. Another split revolves around the idea of 'a stay' in the event of a potential City punishment, and whether the club face sanctions straight away or after an appeal. One senior club executive said that there is unlikely to be any tangible change to anything for even a year after the initial outcome, due to the various stages of the process as well as possible appeals. As it is, City themselves are understood to be 'confident' they will be cleared.
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
UK pensioners living in one area can now get a free air fryer or similar gadget
A council handed out 8,000 appliances last winter, including 6,000 energy-saving cooking devices such as air fryers. There are plans to bring back the scheme from September Pensioners living in one part of England could qualify for a complimentary air fryer as the local council seeks to reduce energy costs. North Lincolnshire Council distributed 8,000 appliances during the previous winter, including 6,000 energy-efficient cooking gadgets such as air fryers. The authority invested over £650,000 in the initiative, according to a Freedom of Information request, drawing from a £2.3 million Government Household Support Fund grant. The council now intends to revive the programme following discussions at a recent council meeting, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Distribution of the devices is scheduled to commence in September. It comes after news of a £200 payment for state pensioners born before 1959 to be made soon. Air fryers aren't the sole choice available; residents can also apply to receive slow-cookers and single-cup kettles to cut their domestic expenses. Qualifying pensioners may register online or visit their neighbourhood community centre before the planned launch later this year, reports the Express. Council leader Rob Waltham described the initiative as having "proved hugely popular". He continued: "We know many pensioners continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis. Being able to support all older residents to eat healthily and keep energy bills down is important, we know it matters." "These cooking appliances made a difference to thousands of people last time, so we're bringing them back. Thousands more pensioners will benefit." He added: "While others shout from the sidelines, we're getting on with the job – delivering real support to the people who need it most. This scheme is a great example of how we are keeping our promise to making life better for local pensioners right now.' Air fryers can offer greater energy efficiency than conventional ovens, potentially resulting in reduced energy costs. Whilst they consume electricity, their reduced cooking duration and lower power usage compared to ovens can deliver savings, particularly for smaller portions. The running cost of an air fryer is influenced by factors such as its wattage, usage duration, and the prevailing energy prices. As per The Eco Experts, a 1,500W air fryer could potentially cost approximately 51p per hour to operate. However, given that cooking times are typically shorter, the cost per use could be as low as 17p. In comparison, The Eco Experts point out that an average 2,200W oven might cost around 85p per hour to run, possibly requiring a full hour for preheating and cooking. To apply, pensioners can register easily by filling in the form online or visiting one of the local community hubs in Ashby, Barton, Brigg, Crowle, Epworth or Scunthorpe.
The National
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Police Scotland 'harass' activists with daily checks amid Trump visit
Videos shared with this paper by pro-Palestine activist Kimberley Davidson shows her asking why officers have knocked on her door. They say it is for a bail address check, adding: 'We have been asked to do these daily.' Another video, taken by a second activist who is also on bail, shows police knocking on their door before an officer verbally confirms it is just after 10pm. The activist then says they already had a visit at noon that same day. 'We're doing this for everyone, OK,' one officer responds. Pixelated images from two of the videos shared with The National of police officers visiting activists on bail (Image: Supplied) Davidson is on bail after a pro-Palestine protest at an arms factory late in 2024. In the new video, she asks why her first address check since then is happening now, and if there is a suspicion that she has breached her conditions. 'I don't know if it's because there's obviously quite a high-profile visit at the moment,' one of the officers responds, making a reference to US president Donald Trump who was in Scotland from Friday to Tuesday. Davidson then says that even if she was planning to protest Trump, there is nothing in her bail conditions to stop her doing so, alleging police 'harassment'. 'What a waste of police resource', she adds. A second video filmed by Davidson shows officers again at her home. Asked why they have knocked on her door, one responds: 'We're literally just to come and say hi.' READ MORE: Hamza Yusuf: There's a rot in the world's media. Support The National for a new way After Davidson asked the officers for their names and badge numbers, they say they have come for a bail check. Activists told The National that they believed the 'so-called 'bail checks' – as admitted by the attending officers – were in fact a direct response to Donald Trump's visit to Scotland'. 'This raises serious concerns. Either it reflects a troubling lapse in intelligence, where monitoring [us] was deemed a justified use of police resources, or it reveals something more sinister: state-sanctioned harassment aimed at silencing dissent and shielding the president of the United States from legitimate protest. 'The real question is – who authorised this?' Police Scotland did not respond to a request for comment. READ MORE: Safeguarding concerns raised after Scottish school pipe band plays for Donald Trump More than 7000 police officers were deployed during Trump's visit to Scotland, including 1200 from other UK nations. Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said they did not yet have a figure for how much it had cost the taxpayer, but said it would be a "significant amount of money". In 2018, Trump's four-day visit to the UK cost around £14 million to police, according to Freedom of Information figures.
