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Glasgow Times
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Court issues decision in Tommy Sheridan's case against Glasgow council
Mr Sheridan instructed lawyers to go to the Court of Session in a bid to judicially review the actions of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership bosses. The organisation wrote to Mr Sheridan to tell him that to employ him as a social worker in Glasgow would create an 'unacceptable level of risk' for the local authority. The move came after Mr Sheridan had applied to become a criminal justice social worker with the council. In his job application, he disclosed how he had been given a three year prison sentence in 2011 for perjury - a jury at the High Court in Glasgow concluded that he had lied on oath during his successful defamation action against the News of the World newspaper. The court heard that social work bosses then sent him a letter in August 2024 telling him the conviction presented an 'unacceptable level of risk' to Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership. More communications to Mr Sheridan told him that future applications for jobs with the organisation would not be 'progressed'. This has prompted Mr Sheridan to instruct lawyers to go to Scotland's highest civil court in a bid to get Glasgow City Council to overturn its decision. Earlier this year, Mr Sheridan' s lawyer Mike Dailly told Lord Young that the council had acted unlawfully in its decision. However, in a written judgement issued by Lord Young on Thursday, the court acted social work bosses acted lawfully. Lord Young said he agreed with submissions made by lawyers acting for the local authority that the decision made by social work bosses couldn't be judicially reviewed. He wrote: 'I agree with the submission for the respondent that it makes no difference that, in this case, the petitioner's complaint relates to a refusal by the respondent to consider entering into a contract of employment. 'The context in which the respondent sent these letters to the petitioner was whether the petitioner was viewed as a suitable candidate for employment as a social worker. 'This was an employment situation where parties are free to decide whether to enter into a contract or not. 'He enjoys no private law right to be considered for employment by the respondent, so he is seeking to fashion a right to be considered for social work jobs through the application of broad public law concepts. 'If the petitioner's argument was accepted, then it would follow that every applicant for a public sector job in Scotland could potentially challenge the job application process using the judicial review procedure. 'I find that the petition is incompetent for the reasons advanced by the respondent and it falls to be dismissed. (Image: Mike Dailly) READ NEXT: Tommy Sheridan says he is 'victimised' by Glasgow council READ NEXT: Tommy Sheridan in court over case against Glasgow City Council READ NEXT: Tommy Sheridan to pursue legal action against Scottish council At earlier proceedings, Mr Dailly said the body which regulates social work in Scotland - the Scottish Social Services Council - had assessed Mr Sheridan as being a suitable candidate for working in the profession. He added : 'It's a simple matter - the petitioner has been assessed as being a fit person for the profession by the statutory social work body. 'He has also been assessed as being suitable to work with children and younger people under the PVG scheme. 'The petitioner has been told he cannot be a social worker. However, the Scottish Parliament has allowed the SSSC the role and responsibility to determine who is a fit and proper person to be a social worker. 'The SSSC says the petitioner is a fit and proper person. I say the decision made by the council is irrational - it cannot say the petitioner cannot be a social worker.' (Image: Tommy Sheridan with wife Gail, right.) Mr Dailly was speaking during a judicial review brought by Mr Sheridan used to lead the Scottish Socialist Party which won a number of seats at Holyrood in 1999 and 2003. Mr Sheridan served as an MSP for Glasgow between 1999 and 2007. He took the News of the World to court in 2006, alleging it defamed him after reporting he was an adulterer who visited swingers' clubs. He netted £200,000 but he was later convicted of lying in court during this civil action, and was sentenced to three years in jail. On social media last summer he revealed his future plans in response to a suggestion that he should stand again as an MSP in 2026. He posted: "I just graduated as a professional social worker from Glasgow Caledonian University after a two-year masters degree so I am applying for jobs in that profession just now but who knows what will come to pass by 2026.' Lord Young also dismissed concerns that the council acted irrationally in the light of the SSSC allowing Mr Sheridan to be registered with the organisation. He added: 'I do not consider that the respondent's concern about employing the petitioner comes close to being viewed as irrational. 'His registration with the SSSC simply confirms that he meets the minimum statutory requirement for employment. 'It does not prevent an employer from applying its own additional criteria before interviewing or offering employment. 'The existence of a conviction for perjury is likely to be of some relevance to some employers considering whether to employ an individual as a social worker.'
Glasgow Times
09-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
First Minister visits Glasgow GP taking part in wellbeing project
Oakwood Medical Practice in Easterhouse is one of 12 surgeries in deprived areas across the city that are involved in the Whole Family Support in General Practice project. The service takes a preventative approach to family wellbeing and uses GP appointments to identify wider support needed to help families in poverty and at risk of poor health outcomes. (Image: Colin Mearns) Mr Swinney praised the 'collaborative, preventative work' which has received a combined £3.5 million from the Scottish Government since 2023. Each of the practices involved in the project has a family wellbeing worker who can provide advice on the right kinds of support and the partner service best placed to help. The project also supports outreach work with families who might benefit from further engagement with primary care services to address complex health needs. (Image: Colin Mearns) READ NEXT: Greg Monks' family say they believe he 'got lost' in Portugal (Image: Colin Mearns) (Image: Colin Mearns) Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Swinney said: 'Scotland's GP practices are right at the heart of our communities where they help local people and their families on a daily basis. "We recognise them as trusted and established services providing crucial medical advice and care. 'It is precisely this trust that means GP surgeries can be places where people start to get a wider variety of help that will allow them to overcome the challenges of everyday life, tackle poverty and address further risks to their health and wellbeing. 'Eradicating child poverty and improving public services are two of my main priorities as First Minister. "Along with economic growth and tackling the climate emergency, they are the key areas where I want to see delivery of real improvements. 'I've spoken often about how these priorities don't exist in isolation – there will be lots of different connections between them. 'The Whole Family Support In General Practice project is exactly the sort of work I had in mind – collaborative, preventative work that will deliver clear benefits for people in Scotland.' The three-year project is led by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, supported by more than £1.5 million in Scottish Government funding for 2025/26.
Glasgow Times
09-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
John Swinney visits GP in Glasgow's Easterhouse for project
Oakwood Medical Practice in Easterhouse is one of 12 deprived areas across Glasgow taking part in the Whole Family Support in General Practice project, which takes a preventative approach to family wellbeing. It uses GP appointments to identify wider support needed to help families in poverty and at risk of poor health outcomes. READ MORE: 'Completely unacceptable': John Swinney condemns unofficial Celtic title party The First Minister will visit today, and hailed the 'collaborative, preventative work' which has received a combined £3.5 million from the Scottish Government since 2023. Each of the practices has a family wellbeing worker who can provide advice on the right kinds of support and the partner service best placed to help. The project also supports outreach work with families who might benefit from further engagement with primary care services to address complex health needs. The three-year project is led by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, supported by more than £1.5 million in Scottish Government funding for 2025-26. READ MORE: Gangland violence 'out of control' John Swinney is told after Spain shootings READ MORE: 'We never gave up': Family's heartbreaking tribute as body of missing teen found Speaking ahead of the visit, he said: 'Scotland's GP practices are right at the heart of our communities where they help local people and their families on a daily basis. We recognise them as trusted and established services providing crucial medical advice and care. 'It is precisely this trust that means GP surgeries can be places where people start to get a wider variety of help that will allow them to overcome the challenges of everyday life, tackle poverty and address further risks to their health and wellbeing. 'Eradicating child poverty and improving public services are two of my main priorities as First Minister. Along with economic growth and tackling the climate emergency, they are the key areas where I want to see delivery of real improvements. 'I've spoken often about how these priorities don't exist in isolation – there will be lots of different connections between them. 'The Whole Family Support In General Practice project is exactly the sort of work I had in mind – collaborative, preventative work that will deliver clear benefits for people in Scotland.'
STV News
09-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
John Swinney to visit GP surgery taking part in ‘family wellbeing' project
First Minister John Swinney will visit a GP practice in one of the most deprived parts of Glasgow which is taking part in a project to improve family wellbeing by making it easier to access support services. Oakwood Medical Practice in Easterhouse is one of 12 in deprived areas across Glasgow taking part in the Whole Family Support in General Practice project, which takes a preventative approach to family wellbeing. It uses GP appointments to identify wider support needed to help families in poverty and at risk of poor health outcomes. Mr Swinney will visit on Monday, and hailed the 'collaborative, preventative work' which has received a combined £3.5 million from the Scottish Government since 2023. Each of the practices has a family wellbeing worker who can provide advice on the right kinds of support and the partner service best placed to help. The project also supports outreach work with families who might benefit from further engagement with primary care services to address complex health needs. The three-year project is led by Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, supported by more than £1.5 million in Scottish Government funding for 2025-26. Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Swinney said: 'Scotland's GP practices are right at the heart of our communities where they help local people and their families on a daily basis. We recognise them as trusted and established services providing crucial medical advice and care. 'It is precisely this trust that means GP surgeries can be places where people start to get a wider variety of help that will allow them to overcome the challenges of everyday life, tackle poverty and address further risks to their health and wellbeing. 'Eradicating child poverty and improving public services are two of my main priorities as First Minister. Along with economic growth and tackling the climate emergency, they are the key areas where I want to see delivery of real improvements. 'I've spoken often about how these priorities don't exist in isolation – there will be lots of different connections between them. 'The Whole Family Support In General Practice project is exactly the sort of work I had in mind – collaborative, preventative work that will deliver clear benefits for people in Scotland.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
31-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Inspections at 7 Glasgow homeless hotels find 'defects'
Environmental health inspections at a number of hotels and B&Bs used for homeless people in Glasgow have led to 'defects and issues' being identified. Last year, the Glasgow Times launched the End the Homeless Hotel Shame campaign to highlight the conditions people were enduring when in need of accommodation. One of the asks of the campaign was for the council to carry out an inspection regime to ensure owners, who are paid millions of pounds a year, comply with decent standards. In the last year, from April 2024 to March 2025, the council paid more than £45 million to private hotels and B&B owners in the city. The campaign heard firsthand from people who lived in the hotels and they reported dirty conditions with stained mattresses and bedding, rats and mice and drug taking and violence going unchecked. The council has revealed it started an inspection programme in November last year and has carried out 18 visits on seven properties up until April this year. Inspections undertaken focused on: Management of Legionella; Asbestos Management Plans; Health & Safety; Management of Hazardous substances; Inspection Checklists; Cleanliness; Pest control; Management of Falls from Height; Window Restrictors etc. Pat Togher, chief officer, Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, has revealed the inspections in a report to councillors. He said: 'A summary of the seven inspections noted a number of defects and or issues that have been identified by Environmental Services staff. 'The defects and or issues were not uniformly identified across all the sites. Each site inspected, demonstrated varying degrees of compliance and understanding of requirements and legislation. 'In response to the inspections and continued dialogue with the HSCP the management of the hotels and bed & breakfast have all responded positively and constructively to the inspection reports and subsequent recommendations. 'This has resulted in no enforcement notices being served on the owners of the establishments with all owners welcoming and embracing the recommendations. 'They have reacted quickly to address any issues highlighted to them following the Inspections.' He added: 'There is now a greater understanding of what is required with regards to the management of health and safety within the hotels and bed & breakfast sites. Consequently, HSCP staff are now also better equipped to understand key areas to note when visiting establishments and engaging with hotel and bed & breakfast managers.'
