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STV News
9 hours ago
- Business
- STV News
Quarter of deaths in 2023 ‘avoidable', statistics show
Just over a quarter of those who died in Scotland during 2023 had an 'avoidable death', National Records of Scotland (NRS) has said. Defined as being a death which is 'considered preventable or treatable', 16,548 (26%) deaths in 2023 were classed as avoidable. The rate of avoidable deaths remained broadly steady from 2022, the NRS figures show. The leading cause of avoidable mortality in 2023 remained cancer, followed by circulatory diseases. Nearly one in six avoidable deaths was alcohol or drug-related, research from NRS found. Those in the 20% most deprived areas of the country were four times more likely to have an avoidable death in 2023 than those in the 20% least deprived, it said. Stefania Sechi, assistant statistician at NRS, said: 'The rate of avoidable deaths decreased over most years from 2001. 'They increased suddenly during the pandemic. They came back down afterwards, but the rate of avoidable mortality is still higher than before the coronavirus pandemic. 'Alcohol and drug-related avoidable deaths are at their third highest level since 2001. 'These causes are more likely in deprived areas and more likely in males. These deaths are all classed as avoidable.' Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said: 'This heartbreaking report shows far too many Scots are still having their lives cut short needlessly. 'These are the worst consequences of government incompetence and the SNP Government cannot escape the fact it has missed its cancer treatment time targets time and time again, failed to deal with the growing crisis of drug and alcohol deaths, and let chaos engulf our NHS. 'As is so often the case, it is the poorest people in Scotland paying the harshest price for these failures.' Health Secretary Neil Gray said: 'I am determined to address the causes of ill health and prevent it from occurring in the first place. 'We will continue to build on our track record of strong public health interventions to prevent cancers where possible. These include measures to reduce smoking prevalence – including ensuring children born after January 1, 2009 can never legally buy tobacco as part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 'Research commended by internationally-renowned public health experts estimated that our world-leading minimum unit price policy has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions, and contributed to tackling health inequalities. 'As well as opening the UK's first safer drug consumption facility pilot, we're working towards a drug-checking pilot which would enable us to respond faster to emerging drug trends, and widening access to life-saving naloxone, treatment and residential rehabilitation.' 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
The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland has highest 'avoidable death rate' in Britain
According to the National Records of Scotland (NRS) a total of 16,548 Scots passed away from a condition which could have been treated or prevented - more than before the pandemic which ended a downward trend since 2001. Prevention or treatment could be through public health changes such as cancer screening programmes, medical interventions or policies such as banning smoking in public places. READ MORE: One simple test from NHS Scotland saved me from cancer Here's one good reason I'm glad I moved to Scotland What you need to know about the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election The leading cause of avoidable mortality remained cancer, despite the rate steadily decreasing over time, followed by diseases of the circulatory system, the NRS statistics showed. They also found that almost one in six avoidable deaths were alcohol or drug-related and that avoidable deaths from alcohol and drug-related causes have risen over the past decade. The rate of avoidable deaths from alcohol and drug-related causes in 2023 was the third highest since 2001. Only 2020 and 2021 recorded higher levels. People in the most deprived communities are four times as likely to die from an avoidable cause as those in the least deprived areas. Males have higher avoidable mortality rates than females. Stefania Sechi, Assistant Statistician at NRS, said: 'The rate of avoidable deaths decreased over most years from 2001. They increased suddenly during the pandemic. They came back down afterwards but the rate of avoidable mortality is still higher than before the coronavirus pandemic. 'Alcohol and drug-related avoidable deaths are at their third highest level since 2001. These causes are more likely in deprived areas and more likely in males. These deaths are all classed as avoidable.' The figures also revealed that there is regional variation within Scotland. Last year the highest rates of avoidable deaths were in Glasgow City, while East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire recorded the lowest. The term 'avoidable mortality' is based on an international definition by the OECD/Eurostat and looks only at deaths under the age of 75. Public health experts define preventable mortality as a cause of death that can be mainly avoided through effective public health and primary prevention treatment. Treatable mortality is defined as a cause of death that can be mainly avoided through timely and effective healthcare interventions, including secondary prevention and treatment. Statistics on deaths and causes of death registered in 2024 will be published later in 2025.
The National
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Without immigration, I might well not be here
I was lying in theatre after an emergency caesarean section. There was hustle and bustle all around me from the medical team. I was haemorrhaging badly. Things had taken a serious turn, and the doctors were preparing for the possibility of removing my womb to save my life. An obstetrician was called. She rushed in, calm, focused and decisive. With extraordinary skill, she saved my womb. She saved my life. I went on to have two more children. She was a migrant. In the moment, I didn't stop to ask where she was born or how long she'd been in the country, I was too busy being grateful that she was there. I wasn't thinking about borders or immigration status, I was thinking, 'Thank God for her'. READ MORE: John Swinney condemns 'unacceptable' football fan violence across Scotland That memory returns every time I hear anti-immigrant rhetoric, and it came roaring back last week when I listened to the Prime Minister deliver his speech on immigration. It was cold. Calculated. And laced with language that felt designed to sow fear. Keir Starmer spoke of 'chaos', 'experiments,' and 'shutting down the lab'. And I couldn't help but think: 'Does he even know who he's talking about?' Migrants aren't just numbers in a spreadsheet or slogans on a lectern. They're the people who save lives. Who support our teachers. Who process our food. Who care for our loved ones. And let's be honest, these new immigration policies aren't about economics, fairness, or control. It's pure populism. If the UK Government really cared about economic growth, it wouldn't be pulling up the drawbridge on working-age migrants. In Scotland, we face a falling birth rate, an ageing population, and serious labour shortages in key sectors. Our fish processors, care homes, farms, and hospitals are crying out for workers. When employers can't recruit, it's because there simply aren't enough people. So they turn to migrant labour. This is not because people are lazy or on benefits. Throughout my constituency of Banffshire and Buchan Coast, I've spoken to seafood factory owners who have said plainly that without migrant workers, they'll have to shut their doors. These are businesses that feed the nation, export to the world and support entire communities. They offer hard, honest work. Many migrants have been here for years, raising families, paying taxes, and keeping our coastal economy afloat. Now, under the UK Government's new rules, they are being told they're no longer welcome And it's not just our coast that's under pressure. Across Scotland, we're facing a demographic challenge. According to the National Records of Scotland, our population is projected to start falling from 2040 unless we have continued inward migration. The number of people aged 75 and over is rising rapidly, while our working-age population is shrinking. The Fraser of Allander Institute warned that without immigration, Scotland's workforce could decline by nearly 20% in the coming decades. That would be catastrophic for our economy and our services. We need people and we need policies that reflect that. Let me also clear up a misunderstanding I keep seeing on social media. People talk about migrants 'coming over on boats', as if they're all the same – as if a factory worker in Peterhead, a student in Aberdeen, and someone desperately fleeing war or persecution are part of one big group. They're not. When we talk about immigration to support the economy, like filling gaps in the care sector or in fish processing, we're talking about legal routes via visas, work permits, and sponsorship. That's entirely different from people coming here seeking asylum – which is a legal right under international law. And yes, some of those people arrive by small boat, not because they're 'jumping the queue', but because there's no safe, official route open to them. Once here, they're not allowed to work. They're often housed in hotels, living on a few pounds a day and unable to contribute even though many desperately want to. These are two completely different systems, but bad actors deliberately blur the lines to stoke fear. It's the same scapegoating tactic we've seen throughout history, and it always ends up hurting the wrong people. When I see them being lumped together and blamed for everything from housing shortages to NHS waiting times, I feel furious, as a politician and as a human being. Because this scapegoating doesn't just distract from the real causes of our problems, it also dehumanises the people helping to solve them. Let's take one example, the social care sector. Scotland has one of the highest vacancy rates for care jobs in the UK. We are literally unable to meet demand without workers from abroad. Yet now, the visa rules for these roles are being tightened. How is that sustainable? Clinging to a Brexit-shaped fantasy that has already cost Scotland dearly will be devastating. Our fishing industry was promised the world and left with red tape and worker shortages. Now it's being dealt another blow by a government that sees value only in votes, not people. This isn't about the UK being 'full'. It's about being failed – failed by a London-focused Westminster Government making policy for polling numbers. Scotland deserves better. And one day soon, with independence, we'll build an immigration system that reflects who we are and what we need. To those who have chosen Scotland as their home, we thank you. You are not the problem. You are part of the solution. Let's reject this anti-immigration populist nonsense and be reasonable and pragmatic. Keir Starmer, not in our name.
The Herald Scotland
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
MSPs urged to back women-only Scots homeless refuge as deaths rise
And there are concerns that while vulnerable homeless women are avoiding the use of temporary accommodation believing that they are unsafe - the number of the most vulnerable seeking official help has still soared by 20% in ten years. Now it has emerged MSPs are to consider a new petition lodged with the Scottish Parliament calling on the Scottish Government to better fund and reform homeless services in Scotland so that women are better protected from "predatory sexual assault and sexual exploitation". Over 30,000 have backed a parallel online petition. READ MORE by Martin Williams: Over 100,000 Scots face energy cuts in BBC radio switch-off 'crisis' Revealed: Fury at agreed £100k payment to 'sacked' Scots ferry chief Robbie Drummond Anger over 20-year fail to fix Scotland's most notorious road Swinney urged to act over 'disastrous' rise in street sleepers It comes as the Alba Party's housing policy group is backing the calls for single sex emergency homeless accommodation. Some 164 women have been registered as having died while homeless in Scotland over a three year post-Covid period up to and including 2023. That's a 15% rise on the 142 that passed away in the pre-Covid period to the end of 2019. The data kept by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) includes women who were in temporary accommodation—such as hotels and bed and breakfasts and flats - well as those sleeping rough at the time of death. But it is feared the numbers are far greater as National Records of Scotland, which collects official data, says that identifying whether a person was homeless when they died "is not straightforward" as there is no specific question on the death certificate asking about whether a deceased individual did not have a place of residence. According to council records, in Glasgow alone just 16% of the 1917 homeless people living in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation by way of emergency in February were women. Campaigners are also concerned that Scotland's housing emergency, officially announced in May, last year, has created a group of mothers who are choosing to stay with violent partners to enable them to keep their children. The petitions led by 38-year-old translator, Laura Jones of Glasgow, who was herself once homeless, it calls for the removal of women and children out of hotels and bed and breakfasts as a priority. Laura Jones (Image: Colin Mearns) Ms Jones, lead campaigner for the Scottish Tenants Organisation, said: "We commend political organisations that recognise the urgency of defending single-sex spaces. The STO urges all parties to prioritise women's lives, and get behind this campaign." She was among those who were at the Scottish Parliament yesterday to promote the petition which is now being considered by MSPs. Ms Jones said that she was once homeless and avoided emergency accommodation provided by councils and preferred sofa surfing with friends. She says she knows many women would rather sleep rough than subject themselves to life in high occupancy accommodation for the homeless. Despite that, in Scotland the numbers of women seeking help from councils over homelessness has soared from 13,664 in 2013/14 to 16,305 in 2023/24. "More and more women and their children are becoming homeless in 2025, and they need protection by the State. This is urgently needed," she said. Alba Party's housing policy group submitted a motion to the party's national council urging action to defend single-sex emergency accommodation. The motion, proposed by working group convenor Nick Durie and supported by tenant activists, condemns recent attempts by the Scottish Greens to undermine funding for women's services and aligns the party with the Scottish Tenants Organisation's (STO) campaign to stop the "scandal" of vulnerable women being placed in mixed sex hostels and hotels which has put women at risk of sexual violence and sexual exploitation as the housing emergency deepens. Nick Durie, convenor of the Alba housing policy working group added: "This motion places women's safety and housing justice at the core of Alba's social democratic vision." And Kirsty Fraser, the Alba Party women's convenor added: "This is an excellent initiative by the Scottish Tenants Organisation to take the concerns about women's safety directly to the Scottish Parliament. The Alba Party supports them wholeheartedly in their campaign.' Ms Jones, hopes that Scotland can do what Northern Ireland has done by opening its first women-only crisis accommodation near Belfast city centre. Known as a crash facility and aimed towards people in urgent need of a place to stay, the centre is the only one in Northern Ireland exclusively for women. Analysis shows that Scotland's biggest city is in the midst of a 'deepening crisis' around women's safety. Instances of domestic abuse are up by 41% on the previous year, rapes increased by 41%, and sexual assault has risen by 28%, according to figures from the Safe Glasgow Partnership. The Safe Glasgow Partnership data shows 357 rape crimes were recorded during 2024-25 compared to 254 during the previous year. Domestic abuse crimes against women stand at 192 so far compared to 136 the previous year. Five years ago social workers were investigating reports of three sex attacks in hotels housing vulnerable homeless people. Glasgow City Council staff were notified at the time of a reported increase in assaults on women in hotels used as a stop gap during the Covid-19 pandemic. The 500 homeless were put up by the council after the usual movement to private homes was halted during lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus. Some 13 of Scotland's 32 councils have declared housing emergencies since Argyll and Bute Council became the first in June, 2023. The latest to make the pronouncement was East Lothian Council, in December, saying its allocation for preparing its Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) for 2025-2030 as £37m, averaging just over £7m per year – in comparison to an average of £12m per year in the previous five years. The Scottish Government formally declared a housing emergency nationally in May, last year. The Scottish Government was approached for comment.
The Herald Scotland
03-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
30,000 demand women-only Scots homeless refuge as deaths rise
And there are concerns that while vulnerable homeless women are avoiding the use of temporary accommodation believing that they are unsafe - the number of the most vulnerable seeking official help has still soared by 20% in ten years. Some 164 women have been registered as having died while homeless in Scotland over a three year post-Covid period up to and including 2023. That's a 15% rise on the 142 that passed away in the pre-Covid period to the end of 2019. The data obtained by the Herald kept by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) includes women who were in temporary accommodation—such as hotels and bed and breakfasts and flats - well as those sleeping rough at the time of death. But it is feared the numbers are far greater as National Records of Scotland, which collects official data, says that identifying whether a person was homeless when they died "is not straightforward" as there is no specific question on the death certificate asking about whether a deceased individual did not have a place of residence. According to council records, in Glasgow alone just 16% of the 1917 homeless people living in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation by way of emergency in February were women. It has emerged that 30,349 people have backed a petition calling on the Scottish Government to better fund and reform homeless services in Scotland so that women are better protected from "predatory sexual assault and sexual exploitation". Campaigners are also concerned that Scotland's housing emergency, officially announced in May, last year, has created a group of mothers who are choosing to stay with violent partners to enable them to keep their children. Led by 38-year-old translator, Laura Jones of Glasgow, who was herself once homeless, it calls for the removal of women and children out of hotels and bed and breakfasts as a priority. Laura Jones (Image: Laura Jones) "The better funding and reform of temporary homeless accommodation for women must include creating more halfway single-sex accommodation that protects and meets the specific needs of women with the objective of rapidly placing them in permanent social housing," the petition states. READ MORE: "Women in Scotland are being ignored in the current housing and homeless emergency and this must change. We believe this petition can draw attention to their plight and result in positive change in policy to help homeless women in Scotland," it goes on. Ms Jones said that she was once homeless and avoided emergency accommodation provided by councils and preferred sofa surfing with friends. She says she knows many women would rather sleep rough than subject themselves to life in high occupancy accommodation for the homeless. Despite that, in Scotland the numbers of women seeking help from councils over homelessness has soared from 13,664 in 2013/14 to 16,305 in 2023/24. "The Scottish Government has to step in in this situation," she said. "I was homeless and I got the sense of not being safe and I can understand that feeling," she said. "I was lucky that I never went into temporary accommodation as I spent so long sleeping on friends' couches. "My friend was attacked in one hotel and so the situation boils my blood." Ms Jones, who supports women in need through the Scottish Tenants Organisation has now lodged a petition with the Scottish Parliament calling for the Scottish Government to create more women-only homeless accommodation. They hope that Scotland can do what Northern Ireland has done by opening its first women-only crisis accommodation near Belfast city centre. Known as a crash facility and aimed towards people in urgent need of a place to stay, the centre is the only one in Northern Ireland exclusively for women. Ms Jones added: "The issues over vulnerable women are so well hidden. It really does get swept under the carpet. We need an approach to safeguarding and they should do what they have done in Northern Ireland. "The response to the petition shows that safe housing is a bigger issue than people make it out to be." A protest is expected outside the Glasgow City Chambers on Thursday over the issue and a vigil is being planned outside the Scottish Parliament Building. It comes as new analysis shows that Scotland's biggest city is in the midst of a 'deepening crisis' around women's safety. Instances of domestic abuse are up by 41% on the previous year, rapes increased by 41%, and sexual assault has risen by 28%, according to figures from the Safe Glasgow Partnership. The Safe Glasgow Partnership data shows 357 rape crimes were recorded during 2024-25 compared to 254 during the previous year. Domestic abuse crimes against women stand at 192 so far compared to 136 the previous year. Five years ago social workers were investigating reports of three sex attacks in hotels housing vulnerable homeless people. 30,000 demand women-only crisis centre for homeless as Scots deaths rise (Image: NQ) Glasgow City Council staff were notified at the time of a reported increase in assaults on women in hotels used as a stop gap during the Covid-19 pandemic. The 500 homeless were put up by the council after the usual movement to private homes was halted during lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus. An email to social workers said at the time: 'This is to make you aware of what seems to be an anecdotal increase in sexual assaults in the hotels. 'Heard of three and just now placed a young lady in a hotel who has been raped twice. 'It is absolutely crucial at this time that if we meeting people face to face that we are asking them if they feel safe where they are currently being accommodated.' Some 13 of Scotland's 32 councils have declared housing emergencies since Argyll and Bute Council became the first in June, 2023. The latest to make the pronouncement was East Lothian Council, in December, saying its allocation for preparing its Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) for 2025-2030 as £37m, averaging just over £7m per year – in comparison to an average of £12m per year in the previous five years. The Scottish Government formally declared a housing emergency nationally in May, last year. And the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) said it was likely that more will follow as demand continues to surge. Scotland's councils have spent £720m of public money on placing the homeless in temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts and hotels over the last full five years because of a housing shortage. And campaigners say a proportion of the money could be used to safely house women. Councils have broken the law that ensures the homeless including children and pregnant mothers are given some kind of roof over their heads nearly 19,000 times over six years. There was a record 7915 breaches in 2023/24 - nearly 18 times more than the previous year - and that came despite continuing efforts being made to ensure the homeless have a roof over their heads in the wake of the Covid pandemic. And three in four of the breaches in 2023/24 were in Glasgow - over three years after the regulator found that it had failed in its legal duties to homeless people by not ensuring there was enough suitable temporary accommodation for them before the coronavirus pandemic. A spokeswoman for Glasgow's Health and Social Care Partnership said: 'We're committed to ensuring the safety of women resident within emergency accommodation. We work with a range of stakeholders including Police Scotland, hotel owners and colleagues within the voluntary sector to ensure a zero tolerance to violence and harassment of women. We also carry out safeguarding visits to all households when they are placed in bed and breakfast accommodation. 'While our homelessness service has access to a range of accommodation types including single sex provision, we would welcome any additional resources that could ease pressure and increase accommodation availability, specifically for women as we work to reduce our reliance on bed and breakfast type accommodation.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We recognise women's experiences of homelessness are very different to the experiences of men. Therefore, the response to their housing needs should also be different. It is vital that temporary accommodation for women experiencing homelessness keeps women safe and does not exacerbate any of the issues that may have led to them presenting as homeless. 'The legal duty for preventing and responding to homelessness sits with local authorities, and this includes the commissioning of emergency and temporary accommodation. Temporary accommodation is an important safety net, and care must be taken when providing support services to ensure everyone's safety.'
