The Scottish Politics thread

[Gabriel]

Sending aged hospital patients back into care homes without being tested, now thats another matter. Of course that has been a UK wide issue but it still beggars belief and fails every common sense challenge. Even if they had been discharged to the 'nightingale' hospitals that were never used, it would have made a difference.

As I mentioned, that same policy was happening across Northern Europe (Germany/Belgium/Netherlands/France), and the appalling effects from there were known to the UK authorities even whilst they were allowing the very same thing to happen. History is surely going to frown upon this as some form of mass senicide.

Whenever there is an inquiry into this sad affair, Health Scotland, the Scottish Government, and the care home providers will inevitably all seek to blame each other. Being the most disparate, I imagine much of the blame will ultimately fall with the care home companies, and I wouldn't be surprised if that leads to the provision of such care coming slowly under the control of Health Scotland.

 

[Gabriel]

Scotland isn’t a secluded island country on the arse end of the world.

Pretty sure you meant 'at' not 'on' ;-)

 

[Saddleworth2]

It’s the population of Scotland with a territory larger than the entire UK.

Scotland isn’t a secluded island country on the arse end of the world, it’s part of the UK and still in the Single Market, meaning freedom of movement from the rest of Europe.

Mrs Ardern’s job was easier than anyone else’s in the Anglosphere and Europe.

That’s not to say she didn’t do well, it’s just a fact.

If you take the percentage of NZ’s population who have died and divide it to the UK’s total population, it’s the equivalent of 37,000 dying, so not as great as you think despite all of those advantages.

22 people have died in New Zealand with a population of 4.8m
42,000 people have died in UK with a population of 68m

So UK has a population approx 14 times the size of NZ.
The UK has 1900 times the number of deaths than NZ. Very comparable.

 

[Saddleworth2]

As I mentioned, that same policy was happening across Northern Europe (Germany/Belgium/Netherlands/France), and the appalling effects from there were known to the UK authorities even whilst they were allowing the very same thing to happen. History is surely going to frown upon this as some form of mass senicide.

Whenever there is an inquiry into this sad affair, Health Scotland, the Scottish Government, and the care home providers will inevitably all seek to blame each other. Being the most disparate, I imagine much of the blame will ultimately fall with the care home companies, and I wouldn't be surprised if that leads to the provision of such care coming slowly under the control of Health Scotland.

I think she has already said their needs to be a full review of the provision of care. Having gone on a beauty parade to find a care home for my Mum in Scotland I can only agree. The standards range from wonderful to shocking.

 

[Ban-jani]

22 people have died in New Zealand with a population of 4.8m
42,000 people have died in UK with a population of 68m

So UK has a population approx 14 times the size of NZ.
The UK has 1900 times the number of deaths than NZ. Very comparable.

That’s ignoring all mitigating factors.

The Falkland Islands have had 0 deaths, shame on New Zealand!

 

[blueparrot]

I think she has already said their needs to be a full review of the provision of care. Having gone on a beauty parade to find a care home for my Mum in Scotland I can only agree. The standards range from wonderful to shocking.

The care home near me is, according to reports excellent, though not the cheapest. They have had no cases, locked down very early and the staff can’t praise management enough with how they kept on top of all developments and had daily updates to keep staff updated and safe. Yet the one a few miles away has had a terrible time with numerous deaths.

 

[Saddleworth2]

That’s ignoring all mitigating factors.

The Falkland Islands have had 0 deaths, shame on New Zealand!

so your calculation included in your last post was shite then.

and there are plenty mitigating factors..they locked down early, they closed airspace, they have a competent government....,

 

[Coatigan]

The care home near me is, according to reports excellent, though not the cheapest. They have had no cases, locked down very early and the staff can’t praise management enough with how they kept on top of all developments and had daily updates to keep staff updated and safe. Yet the one a few miles away has had a terrible time with numerous deaths.

As SW points out, the range is pretty vast.

The biggest issue that i understand to care home covid cases, has been accepting respite patients, and overflow from hospitals. Seemingly, care homes that refused, or could afford to refuse to do so, had far less if any cases. Those that continued to take in short term patients had cases spread. Similarly, re regular vs short term staff, the capacity to tsst staff (which i undersrand was prettu poor for all concerned).

NB, this is not a political point, nor necessarily relevant to the broader thread, just an aside while we are on that topic.

 

[Ban-jani]

so your calculation included in your last post was shite then.

No, as I’ve said, yours ignores territory and population centres.

 

[Gabriel]

I think she has already said their needs to be a full review of the provision of care. Having gone on a beauty parade to find a care home for my Mum in Scotland I can only agree. The standards range from wonderful to shocking.

As you know, it was not that long ago that the provision of such social care was left to the Church of Scotland; it was de facto the State care system. With the decline in belief, however, and the emptying of its coffers, it could not cope, especially with an aging population.

I think there could be a mood now for a fully integrated cradle to grave healthcare system, rather than the existing cradle to rocking chair system, a change that could be spurred by a combination of guilt, altruism, and the fear of being abandoned just so one day. Such a policy could start in the EU- haven't seen it yet, perhaps even in Scotland itself, but it would require careful management and funding.