Third Time Lucky?

Tomorrow morning at 8.15 BBC1 will broadcast live the final of the Australian Open as Andy Murray takes on Novak Djokovic.

Kevin Mitchell in the Guardian gives perhaps one of the most accurate descriptions of Andy Murray I've read:

There is nobody else who transmits his internal debate from the court to the gallery with quite the intensity that Andy Murray does when he plays his delicate yet powerful tennis.


The pale Scot with a face of transparent anxiety will keep his audience in a state of suspense...

He can do no more than his best on the day. I would like to wish him my best wishes in the traditional Dundee manner - gaun yersel' laddie. Along with thousands of other Scots I'll be clapping, sighing and willing him on.

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Pensioners See Too Much

There is an increasing number of older drivers on the roads.  My generation will be the first to have owned a car for their entire adult lives and we are even less likely to give up driving than our parents' generation, because we view our cars as an essential part of our independence.

When younger I always said when I stopped enjoying driving I'd stop driving. Some years ago now I stopped enjoying driving, although when I returned to live in Scotland I found some enjoyment return, possibly because there was much less traffic and I didn't spend so much time in traffic jams.

To put it simply I need my car.  There is no suitable public transport and to travel by taxi would be out of the question.

However, in recent years I haven't had the need to drive so much and I slowly realised I wasn't as comfortable driving at night as I once was.  Nothing serious I was assured, it's because few older people have the need to drive regularly in the dark so don't do it. It's all down to 'practice makes perfect' my sympathetic optician said.

Last year one friend suddenly stated she was giving up her car. We were shocked because she was the one who always offered lifts to others when we had our regular outings. One of her regular passengers tentatively asked if it was the cost of maintaining a car that had brought about this decision. No, it was because she nearly hit a 4 x 4 in Morrison's car park.  Discussion followed about how driving has changed in 40 years; the power of modern cars and being older does tend to make you feel slightly less able.  We all agreed that it must be something to do with eyesight, even though all of us could read a numberplate at the required distance.

Last night I sent a copy of this to my friend (I know her car is still in her garage and she uses it occasionally).  She'll be surprised it's nothing to do with failing eyesight whatsoever, but that we see too much. We're too aware of background rather than reduced vision.  It makes sense.

I wonder when the perceptual learning classes will begin in the UK?  Must drop an email to Professor Duje Tadin at the University of Rochester and ask him to send a copy of his study to Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's go-ahead Health Secretary.

A word of warning to those who are irritated by older drivers - we see you.  It's now a proven scientific fact.

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Hygiene. What's That?

The public inquiry into Scotland's worst outbreak of clostridium difficile has been of interest to me.  A total of 55 patients developed C.diff and 18 died after admission to the Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire.  C.diff was blamed for nine deaths and was a contributory factor in nine more.

On Wednesday the Herald reported the evidence of two daughters of an 84-year- old woman who was put in a room with patients who had already had the deadly infection.  Their mother survived, but they noted that on three separate occasions hand-gel dispensers in the ward were empty.  It was three days before they were replenished. Mrs Jones' daughters also told the inquiry that they weren't informed that other patients in the room had C.diff and they only found out through conversation with other relatives.

Although I appreciate that Mrs Jones should not have been put in a ward with C.diff patients, it would certainly not have been appropriate for staff to discuss other patients with her family.

Mrs Malcolm told the inquiry there was no literature about C Diff at the hospital and that visitors were not told to wash their hands or given any advice on how to prevent spreading the infection. (my emphasis)

Yesterday the inquiry heard from relatives of Walter Scullion, 69, who was admitted with a urinary tract infection.  By the time he was discharged he had contracted herpes from an oxygen mask, tested positive for C.diff and lost 22lbs in weight.  Mr Scullion said his family were not told by hospital staff he had C.diff and they only found out after he told them himself.  Mr Scullion reported other serious breaches of hygiene in the hospital for which there is no excuse.

Walter Scullion’s relatives were also allowed to visit him in his single room without being told to wear any protective clothing or being given any advice on hand hygiene or on how to safely wash his soiled clothing, which they took away in supermarket carrier bags. (my emphasis)

Both families complained to the inquiry about not being told to wash their hands.  I shook my head in despair when I read this. Have we become such a nanny state that hospital visitors need to be told to wash their hands to prevent infection?  It seems so.

Of course this attitude has been encouraged by the laxity of hospitals allowing visitors at any time of day and having no firm rules about their behaviour.  Visitors should not be allowed into wards unless they do wash their hands and if that rule was firmly applied throughout Scotland's hospitals, the general public would quickly realise that thorough hand washing is the best way to prevent infection.  It does sadden me that so many people rely upon modern gels which are only basic chemical disinfectants.

Mr Scullion has since returned to the Vale of Leven as a visitor and commended the upgrading.  It's all very well having new beds and painted walls, but if patients, staff and visitors don't treat the basic hygiene rule of hand washing, such expenditure is a waste of money.

Hospitals need to provide hand washing facilities at either the entrance to the building or the entrances to wards.  That is where money should be spent long before they think about decor.

Until I see this happening I will continue with my own hygiene system.

I've lost any hope of the public understanding the importance of hand washing. Is it laziness or complacency or a mixture of both?  The answer lies with our hospitals. In European hospitals visitors adhere to a very strict code of behaviour which includes hand washing on arrival and departure. We spend millions on hospital infection control yet permit the public to use hospitals like general meeting rooms.

It's long past time we stopped the casual approach.

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FMQs 28 January 2011

Tris posts on yesterday's half hour over at Munguin's Republic.  He frets about Iain Gray only having half the facts.  Surely he should be pleased to see Mr Gray improve.

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Care and the Tesco Tax

In the past few weeks I've had quite a bit to do with care homes or, to be more precise, one such establishment.  Not so long ago it would have been called a Nursing Home - a haven for those who required professional nursing care - but now all such places are called care homes.  Not so long ago we also had Homes for the Elderly and we knew they provided for those older people who could no longer fend for themselves.  Now they too are called care homes.

We were all aware Homes for the Elderly weren't Nursing Homes but nowadays, with all homes classed as care homes, it's up to the service user (must stick to the jargon) to telephone or visit each home to enquire about services.  Not an easy task for someone in immediate need of care for a relative.

Dame Jo Williams, the chairwoman of the Care Quality Commission (in England), has warned that conditions in Nursing Homes across England could deteriorate as owners 'cut corners' to save money.  Nothing new there because care homes are now private businesses and profits have to be made. Initially I thought Dame Jo Williams' comment was concern for the service users within nursing homes, but with further reading the article is more about the reduction in the CQC's budget rather than an interest in those her organisation was set up to protect.

My expectation was that the newly appointed Dame would have some positive ideas about how we (and I mean the UK) are going to cope with the increase in the number of older people who, because we are living longer, may require care home accommodation.  The question does need addressed but, as there are no clear answers which don't involve extra finance, politicians and the English CQC see no urgency.  That doesn't bode well for my generation in England.

In Scotland we have a slightly different problem because our government policy is to provide free nursing care for people of any age and free personal and nursing care for anyone over 65 who has been assessed by the local authority as needing it.  The care can be in a care home or the service user's own home.  It's a very worthy policy and highly regarded by older generations because it gives us the security of knowing that we will be cared for come what may and it works reasonably effectively given the amount of people - and thus bureaucracy - involved.

However, such policies are expensive, very expensive, because caring and nursing involves many professionals who have to be paid.  Even those of younger generations are beginning to see the benefits of our Free Care for the Elderly because many have now experienced the help it gives to an elderly relative.

Yesterday the Scottish Parliament's Local Government and Communities Committee voted down the SNP's proposal to increase rates for big stores (nicknamed the Tesco Tax). John Swinney's assessment was the tax would raise £30 million, but the committee's move means it is now likely to be defeated when the proposal comes before the full parliament next week.

The supermarkets are cock-a-hoop at this decision of course.  It had been estimated that Tesco would pay an extra £9m a year, Asda £8.8m, Morrisons £4.4m, Sainsbury's £3.5m and B & Q an extra £2m.  M & S would pay £1.3m more while the tax would also apply to big names such as Ikea, John Lewis, Primark and Debenhams.

John Swinney told the committee that the retail tax would affect about 0.1% of businesses and was needed to relieve pressure on family and household budgets during tough economic times.

The committee split down party lines as seems to be the norm these days in Parliament. Not one of the political opposers suggested where the now lost £30m could be found to permit us to fund our priorities such as Care for the Elderly.  I have to agree with John Swinney when he said:

"It's an appropriate financial measure to take, which gives the government the opportunity to raise a modest amount of revenue from a highly profitable sector that is contributing to the public purse of Scotland and enables us, then, to afford some of our other priorities." source


The Scottish Parliament's committee system used to be respected for its non-partisan approach.  Recently this appears to have been lost and the system will struggle to regain any credibility unless MSPs put aside their electioneering tactics and view the bigger picture.

You may be wondering what yesterday's Tesco Tax decision has to do with Scotland policy of caring for the elderly.  It may well have none but, then again, the short-sightedness of unionist politicians not to support this minimal tax rise with big business may well affect it.  Someone has to be the loser don't they?

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Tory MP Calls for Barnet Formula to be Scrapped

David Mowat is Conservative MP for Warrington South and a member of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.

He is calling for the Scotland Bill to be amended to scrap the Barnet Formula which, he says, is manifestly unfair to the English taxpayer.

I don't intend to analyse his essay.  My only comment would be 'Scrap the Scotland Bill'.

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Conspiracy? Don't Make Me Laugh

It wasn't my intention to comment upon the sacking of Andy Gray, now ex-Sky Sports reporter, but the headline in today's Scotsman 'Conspiracy theory as Sky sacks Andy Gray' amused me.

Although I'm not a football enthusiast at times I'm subjected to the sport on television.  Today's football commentators are like footballers to me - overpaid and not without a large dose of self-importance.

Andy Gray is currently in a legal dispute with the News of the World over the alleged phone tapping scandal.  His boss at Sky owns the newspaper and now his pals are saying he was sacked today because of his legal challenge. It's implied Murdoch engineered the sacking.

What nonsense.  Andy Gray was sacked because a third video tape, in which he asks a female colleague to tuck his microphone wire down his trousers, 'happened' to find its way into the media. That's the behaviour of a teenager not a man earning in a year what many earn in a lifetime (said to be £1.7 million per annum). Add the official warning he received yesterday about his incongruous behaviour prior to Saturday's broadcast and Sky could do nothing other than sack him. With his experience in a very competitive industry he surely realised there are always those further down the ladder who think they can do the job better.

However, the main point of this post is this - why do so many people who work or have close contact with the media not understand the definition of the noun microphone?  A mike was possibly the reason Gordon Brown lost the last election. Many minor celebs are never heard of again because of 'off-air' chatter when they are still miked. Carol Thatcher springs to mind. Careless talk costs jobs and Andy Gray, with his 18 years experience in the media, ought to have been much more aware of that than most.

It's reported he's talking to his lawyers about his sacking and feels it's unjust.  I suggest he's wasting his money.

Brendan O'Neill doesn't agree with me.  He says Andy Gray should not have been sacked because he was 'saying something to a colleague in what he believed was complete privacy'. He misses the point. No workplace is private, particularly one which involves a television or radio recording studio.

Just minutes ago I heard his colleague Richard Keys has resigned. A good move because he can possibly return - after a suitable period of contemplation - to the world of sport, but it won't be with Sky.

There are winners though.  They are the women involved in this sordid business.

source

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Update: Alcohol Interactive

I have received the following email from Lynne Russell, the Press and PR Officer at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.  It concerns this post regarding teaching 10 to 11 year-olds about alcohol using the medium of role-play.

As you will see she has asked me to share this information with you and in order to avoid any misunderstandings I have published it in full.  My opinion has not changed. The target group is too young.

Hello

I saw you article on your website today following Scotland on Sunday’s cover of the Alcohol Interactive project. As with much media cover, some areas of the SOS article were misleading and the headline completely misrepresented with project and wastotally inaccurate.  We are certainly not encouraging pupils to role play alcoholics and it’s this type of headline that undermines the excellent work that has been achieved by the hard working students.

 I’ve seen this project in action. The students were amazing, the children got so much out of it and feedback from teachers was extremely positive. There were also no complaints from parents. Here’s the article that I submitted to Scotland on Sunday. This is accurate and shows a bit more about what the project covered. I hope this goes some way to setting the record straight. It isalways so frustrating and disappointing for all involved, especially for our hard working students, now graduates, when their goodwork is portrayed in a sensational way which is misleading to readers.

If you are able to share this information with people who read your blog, it would be much appreciated.

Kind regards

Lynne Russell

Press and PR Officer

Alcohol Interactive gets down to serious business in East Lothian schools

As part of their final year Community Theatre project, two drama students developed an interactive project in a bid to raise awareness of alcohol issues amongst East Lothian primary school children.                                                                                 

The genesis of the project grew out of QMU’s Alcohol Research Group - an interdisciplinary group made up of academics from a variety of subject specialisms. Academics from both health and drama came up with the idea of a student project and in response, students Kimberly Bale and Kirsty Hunt set up a theatre company called ‘Alcohol Interactive’. The aim of the alcohol awareness drama project was to provide children with a real life type experience of witnessing the social effects of alcohol and dealing with peer pressure. The students developed the interactive drama programme and delivered the project to seven East Lothian primary schools over a 10-week period, reaching in excess of 300 school children.

                                                               

The students used games, role play and interactive questions, answers and discussion sessions to help children understand why people drink, as well as the negative impact that drinking to excess can have on individuals and others around them.                                                             

Kimberly and Kirsty encouraged the children to develop their own dramas to depict specific situations. With some of the sessions taking place in the assembly hall, children had the freedom of space to engage in fun, physical role play. The students used scenarios, such as adults drinking at a dinner party, a family enjoying alcohol at a wedding, teenagers getting drunk in the park, and drinking games getting out of hand at a night club, to depict socially acceptable drinking as well as the consequences of drinking too much.

                                                       

Kimberly explained: “We used different methods to encourage children to feedback their understanding of alcohol while also helping them to learn about what is socially acceptable and what behaviours can lead to negative situations. The children were also able to explore techniques they could use when dealing with peer pressure.”

                                                               

Kirsty said: “One of the most important messages we tried to get across is that when the children get older they can choose to drink or not to drink and they don’t have to go with the crowd. We encouraged them to be strong with their own choice, be honest about why they maybe didn’t want to drink, and if peer pressure became too much they could remove themselves from the situation or let a responsible person know that they were being pressurised.”    

                                                               

The project was assisted by Lesley Smith, Principal Arts Officer at the Brunton Theatre, East Lothian and assessed by Irvine Allan, Lecturer in Drama at QMU. Irvine said: “This is an excellent example of the social relevance of Queen Margaret University’s community drama work. The project was delivered in a simple but effective way. The students were very skilled at encouraging pupils to engage in the work and creating the opportunity for open discussion.”   

       

He concluded: “The feedback from participating schools was excellent with teachers very clearly seeing the benefits of the project. I am extremely proud of what these two students have achieved  and even since graduating they have continued to work with QMU’s Alcohol Research Group to identify how they can further develop this important project for the benefit of the local community and ultimately society as a whole.”          

Since their graduation, Kimberly has been working at an after school club and Kirsty is involved with Perth’s Youth Theatre Director Scheme.  The pair has also secured funding to repeat the Alcohol Interactive workshops in schools across East Lothian and hope to gain additional funding to roll the workshops out to 40 schools throughout Scotland.

Depute Provost Roger Knox, who chairs the Brunton Theatre Trust, commented: "This is yet another excellent example of the flourishing co-operation between the Theatre and the University. We are delighted to support the students and encourage them to develop the University's relationship with the local community.  The success of their efforts in this particular topic is of immense benefit, not only to their own professional and academic work, but also to the health and well being of the pupil population. Thanks to initiatives like these, I have little doubt that the message about alcohol misuse is getting through to youngsters and we look forward to this type of activity growing and expanding to cover the whole county and beyond.”

ENDS

For further information please contact Lynne Russell, Press and PR Officer, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, tel: 0131 474 0000, mob: 07711 011239, email: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk

Lynne Russell

Press and PR Officer

Marketing and Communications Office

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

EH21 6UU

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Another Loss

Hardly mentioned in the media today is the death of a British soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, who was killed in an explosion in the clearance of an area to the south of Nhr-e Saraj, Helmand province yesterday morning.

Now 350 families have suffered the loss of their loved one who chose to join the military.

From 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010, available central records show that:

1,580 UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to UK Field Hospitals and categorised as Wounded in Action.

2,991UK military and civilian personnel were admitted to UK Field Hospitals for disease or non-battle injuries.

232 UK personnel were categorised as Very Seriously Injured from all causes excluding disease.

240 UK personnel were categorised as Seriously Injured from all causes excluding disease.

4,171 aeromedical evacuations have taken place for UK military and civilian personnel injured or ill in Afghanistan.

Aeromedical evacuations involved injuries which cannot be treated in a Field Hospital and require specialist medical treatment.

The definitions of categories can be read here.

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A council criticised for lateral thinking that would reduce CO2 emissions.

Redditch Council is being criticised because it wants to reduce energy consumption, and, its CO2 'greenhouse gas' emissions. I'm unsure of 'The Green Party's' stance on the proposal.


Some argue that it would be insensitive to 'recycle' some of the enormous quantity of heat used to cremate a body, to help heat the water in an adjacent swimming pool. However, I suspect that a large number of potential customers would welcome the opportunity to have a positive impact on the environment.


It actually makes environmental and economic sense. Let's face it, all that heat going up a chimney would otherwise only keep the birds of Redditch warm.


There are other commercial considerations; and some might get worried if they started competing with Dignitas, offering discounts for voluntary euthanasia.


In other environmental initiatives, their Parks Department was re-examining its fertiliser contract.


A guest post by Joe Public.

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A History of Scottish Languages

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Happy Birthday Robbie Burns

Two hundred and fifty-one years ago today Scotland's Bard, Robbie Burns was born.  The following poem should be read by every young person in Scotland because it is as applicable today as it was the day it was written.

Epistle to a Young Friend

I LANG hae thought, my youthfu’ friend,
  A something to have sent you,
Tho’ it should serve nae ither end
  Than just a kind memento:
But how the subject-theme may gang,
  Let time and chance determine;
Perhaps it may turn out a sang:
  Perhaps turn out a sermon.
 

Ye’ll try the world soon, my lad;
  And, Andrew dear, believe me,
Ye’ll find mankind an unco squad,
  And muckle they may grieve ye:
For care and trouble set your thought,
  Ev’n when your end’s attained;
And a’ your views may come to nought,
  Where ev’ry nerve is strained.
 

I’ll no say, men are villains a’;
  The real, harden’d wicked,
Wha hae nae check but human law,
  Are to a few restricked;
But, Och! mankind are unco weak,
  An’ little to be trusted;
If self the wavering balance shake,
  It’s rarely right adjusted!
 

Yet they wha fa’ in fortune’s strife,
  Their fate we shouldna censure;
For still, th’ important end of life
  They equally may answer;
A man may hae an honest heart,
  Tho’ poortith hourly stare him;
A man may tak a neibor’s part,
  Yet hae nae cash to spare him.
 

Aye free, aff-han’, your story tell,
  When wi’ a bosom crony;
But still keep something to yoursel’,
  Ye scarcely tell to ony:
Conceal yoursel’ as weel’s ye can
  Frae critical dissection;
But keek thro’ ev’ry other man,
  Wi’ sharpen’d, sly inspection.
 

The sacred lowe o’ weel-plac’d love,
  Luxuriantly indulge it;
But never tempt th’ illicit rove,
  Tho’ naething should divulge it:
I waive the quantum o’ the sin,
  The hazard of concealing;
But, Och! it hardens a’ within,
  And petrifies the feeling!
 

To catch dame Fortune’s golden smile,
  Assiduous wait upon her;
And gather gear by ev’ry wile
  That’s justified by honour;
Not for to hide it in a hedge,
  Nor for a train attendant;
But for the glorious privilege
  Of being independent.
 

The fear o’ hell’s a hangman’s whip,
  To haud the wretch in order;
But where ye feel your honour grip,
  Let that aye be your border;
Its slightest touches, instant pause—
  Debar a’ side-pretences;
And resolutely keep its laws,
  Uncaring consequences.
 

The great Creator to revere,
  Must sure become the creature;
But still the preaching cant forbear,
  And ev’n the rigid feature:
Yet ne’er with wits profane to range,
  Be complaisance extended;
An atheist-laugh’s a poor exchange
  For Deity offended!
 

When ranting round in pleasure’s ring,
  Religion may be blinded;
Or if she gie a random sting,
  It may be little minded;
But when on life we’re tempest driv’n—
  A conscience but a canker—
A correspondence fix’d wi’ Heav’n,
  Is sure a noble anchor!
 

Adieu, dear, amiable youth!
  Your heart can ne’er be wanting!
May prudence, fortitude, and truth,
  Erect your brow undaunting!
In ploughman phrase, “God send you speed,”
  Still daily to grow wiser;
And may ye better reck the rede,
  Then ever did th’ adviser!

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Smart Meters - Not For Me Thanks

In this morning's post RMcGeddon mentioned smart meters and provided a couple of Youtube links which set me on a mission to discover more about this piece of equipment which will be installed in every home in the land by 2020.

It's difficult to find any British videos so those here are from the US where the installation of smart meters is well underway.  In the above video the smart meter was installed three months ago.  The three shrubs on the wall are several years old and were healthy with a thick growth.  In three months damage is clearly visible and the home owner insists that is due to the microwave radiation signals.

Apart from the microwave radiation which penetrates through walls, there is concern here in the UK about privacy. Once a smart meter is introduced power usage is constantly communicated to your supplier who will be able to make a fairly good assessment of your movements and lifestyle.

Will it save you money?  Having considered the dangers of continual microwave technology drifting through my home; the lack of information about the use of the data suppliers glean from this equipment and the fact that I am already aware of how much power I use, I will refuse one.  In the US the installation of this equipment allows the supplier access to your home at any time. This will probably be the case here too.

A more sinister aspect is power companies could well reduce or cut off certain goods in your home.  Of course that wouldn't happen immediately but by having a smart meter you're giving control of your energy use to your supplier who can use it as they wish.  The ICO, which monitors personal data security has already met major suppliers to discuss the security implications of smart meters.  In my maturing years I have little trust in the ICO or any organisation to protect my privacy.  There's a great deal of money to be made from selling personal data.

If you're interested in knowing more you could start by watching this video.  Forewarned is forearmed.

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