10 Aug 2017

A major project to build a new Sick Kids hospital in Edinburgh has been delayed again, it has been reported.

The latest setback means the £150-million facility won’t be open until May 2018 at the earliest.

Previously, NHS Lothian bosses had planned to open the doors at Little France in the spring of next year.

Originally, the much-needed replacement hospital was supposed to be open by the winter of 2012, but the project has been dogged by delays since then.

Campaigners have expressed anger that, during the six years of delay, a similar facility in Glasgow has been completed with funding from the Scottish Government.

The health board said today it was putting back the opening date to ensure the “safe and effective” opening of the hospital, which will serve youngsters right across the east of Scotland.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:

“Families, parents and patients across the Lothians and eastern Scotland will be deeply disappointed and frustrated at this.

“This appears to be yet another delay to the opening of a vital new hospital facility, despite NHS Lothian guaranteeing that it would open next spring.

“Families deserve answers and clarification from both NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government about the reasons behind this delay and I will be seeking these on behalf of constituents.

“The SNP government’s handling of this whole project – which it claims is one of its flagship infrastructure investments – has been incredibly poor from the outset, having originally indicated a new hospital could be ready by the end of 2012.

“Since then we have seen delay after delay and this is unacceptable.”

Notes to editors:

For more on the story, visit:

https://planetradio.co.uk/forth/local/news/delay-opening-edinburgh-new-sick-kids/

10 Aug 2017

Police officers in Scotland are working under “diminishing resources”, a situation impacting their ability to do the job, a report has found.

Today’s ‘Evaluation of Police and Fire Reform’ carried a series of warnings about the future of Police Scotland, just four years after it was created by the SNP.

The report comes on the back of a number of apparent single force blunders which are now being investigated by the official watchdog, and two of the force’s most senior figures under the spotlight amid allegations of bullying.

It stated: “The perceptions of those involved in the routine delivery of local services was that they are operating with diminishing resources, that work to strengthen connections with communities was often hampered by other organisational pressures, and the reductions in the budgets of other public services sometimes frustrated attempts to work more collaboratively.”

The engagement between officers and their local communities had worsened, the report said, and people were dissatisfied about the performance of the non-emergency 101 number.

Morale among rank-and-file officers was also said to be low.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said:

“This is a damning report, exposing the great many problems that exist within the SNP’s single police force.

“It shows clearly that the Scottish Government is expecting officers to operate with fewer resources, and creating a context in which they are not being given sufficient time to properly engage with the public.

“The report suggests that morale is at rock bottom among the rank and file which is understandable if they are being prevented from doing a very hard, intense job by decisions taken at Scottish Government level.

“There’s no doubt that on the SNP’s watch, things have gone downhill.

“Its project was meant to make Scotland safer, policing better, and establish a more transparent and accountable force.

“Instead, this report suggests the opposite has occurred and our dedicated, professional and brave police service are being held back by political decisions.

“The SNP has some very serious questions to answer on this.”

Notes to editors:

To see the full report, visit:

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00523031.pdf