Latest news with #Cole-Hamilton
Daily Record
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Scots waiting up to a year for cancer treatment as patients 'not given best chance' by SNP Government
One patient living in the NHS Lothian health board area waited 393 days before beginning treatment in the first quarter of this year. Scots suffering from cancer are being made to wait up to a year before starting treatment, shock figures show. Analysis by the Scottish Liberal Democrats found that one patient living in the NHS Lothian health board area waited 393 days before beginning treatmen t in the first quarter of this year. Patients in Grampian, the Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway all waited 11 months for treatment in the same period. It comes after the SNP Government committed to spending a record £21 billion on the NHS in Scotland over the next year to try and reduce waiting times for patients. Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Lib Dems leader, warned that between March 2015 and March 2025 the longest wait in NHS Borders more than quadrupled, increasing from 76 days to 343 days. At the same time the longest wait in NHS Dumfries & Galloway more than trebled, from 99 days to 347 days. And since March 2015, the longest waits in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland have more than doubled. It comes after official figures published last month found the percentage of Scottish cancer patients receiving treatment within the target time is the lowest since records began. Data released by Public Health Scotland found almost a third of patients referred to the NHS in Scotland with an urgent suspicion of cancer are waiting longer than the 62-day target to start treatment. The rate fell to 68.9 per cent in the first three months of 2025 - the lowest reported since records began a decade ago. A target that 95 per cent of patients should start treatment within 31 days of diagnosis has also not been met. The 62-day standard is based on the time from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment, while the 31-day standard measures the time from a decision to treat to the start of first treatment for newly-diagnosed primary cancers. Cole-Hamilton said: "All across Scotland, the SNP government isn't giving cancer patients the best chance of survival. These statistics show huge increases in waiting times to begin treatment after an urgent referral with suspicion of cancer, stretching up to a year. "International studies show Scotland falling behind. The fact that SNP ministers are now admitting that their failures may have caused people to die shows just how badly they have got this wrong. 'Access to screening programmes, diagnoses and treatment is a postcode lottery across the country. Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see ministers who will move mountains to bring down waits and get to grips with the gaps in tech and staff. 'Patients deserve better than an SNP government that keeps letting them down. Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats will bring a real vision and a real plan for delivering the care they need.' John Swinney said the NHS was treating a higher number of patients with cancer on time than six years ago but accepted the failure to meet the 62-day target was 'not acceptable'. Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of the BMA in Scotland said there was a split between people who could afford to go private and those forced to "languish" on NHS waiting lists. Neil Gray, the Health Secretary, said: "We know that some people are still waiting too long to begin their cancer treatment, and that is not acceptable. We are determined to improve waiting times and ensure everyone gets the timely care they deserve. "It's disappointing that the 31-day standard was narrowly missed this quarter. However, performance has remained steady at around 95% since the pandemic. The median wait for treatment is three days, and the median wait from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to treatment is 52 days, demonstrating the extensive work by staff across Scotland to treat people as quickly and effectively as possible. "We are treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared to the same quarter 6 years ago – 7.7% more within the 31-day standard & 0.1% more within the 62-day standard. "We have directed £14.23 million of the £106 million in additional planned care funding for 2025/26 to Cancer Waiting Times, with a focus on colorectal, urological and breast as our most challenged pathways."
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Scotsman
28-06-2025
- Climate
- Scotsman
Sewage spills could spoil summer trips to Edinburgh's Cramond beauty spot, claims MSP
Sewage overspills could spoil summer trips to one of Edinburgh's most popular beauty spots, an MSP has claimed. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two sewage overflow sites in Cramond are among 12 across Scotland deemed at risk of spilling during dry weather, according to Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) in an answer to Scottish Lib Dem leader and Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton. Sewage spills in dry weather are said to be of particular concern because the lack of rainfall means there is nothing to dilute it and it just accumulates. A map showing the location of the two sites in Cramond where sewage spills are a risk | supplied Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An ESS report said 12 sites had been identified where there was a risk of dry spills and Mr Cole-Hamilton asked for the locations. These included the combined sewer overflow at Cramond wastewater pumping station and another combined sewer overflow at Glebe Road, Cramond. The other 10 sites were in East Ayrshire, Falkirk and Fife. Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "I am very concerned to see that within my own constituency of Cramond there are two sites at risk of dumping sewage in dry weather. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "Cramond is a hugely popular beauty spot, but sewage dumping makes it so much harder for people to come and enjoy the area. "Dry spilling is especially dangerous to the environment because sewage discharges will not have been diluted by rainwater. To make matters worse, Environmental Standards Scotland say this figure is actually an underestimate. "The government must urgently assess the scale of the problem- the public deserve to know the full picture about this disgusting practice." Scottish Lib Dems have called for every sewage spill to be monitored and published with binding targets for their reduction; a complete ban on the release of sewage in protected areas such as bathing waters; and a blue flag system for Scotland's rivers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "The SNP keep turning a blind eye to the sewage problem, letting down residents and endangering the environment. "To turn the tide on this scandal, Scottish Liberal Democrats have published plans for a Clean Water Act that would end the excuses, get tough on sewage dumping and protect our rivers, lochs and beaches long into the future." Scottish Water insisted it did not "dump" sewage and said whatever was discharged was only one per cent waste water from toilets and largely water from sinks, showers, household appliances and run-off from roads. A spokesperson said: 'Overflows normally only operate during heavy rainfall to help prevent flooding to homes and business and, if there is no heavy rainfall, discharges are unlikely. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Data from our monitors helps us identify more quickly if an asset is overflowing in dry weather, allowing us to respond and repair quicker. 'Work is already underway on overflows identified as 'High Priority' from our studies, which include those at risk of overflowing in dry weather. The assets near Cramond are included in this work, which are part of our £500m investment, along with others like the work we have just started at Corstorphine Road for the Water of Leith.' The £3m project in Corstorphine, due to last about six months, involves installing new screens and spill chambers to a storm overflow under Corstorphine Road to help prevent sewer related debris from entering the Water of Leith. The spokesperson added: 'We are monitoring more overflows than ever before, providing more information on overflows than ever before and investing more than ever before in our waste water network. 'Scotland's water quality is at its highest level ever and we remain committed to targeting resources and investment to preserve and protect Scotland's water environment.'
The National
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Alex Cole-Hamilton: Why I sold my Tesla after Elon Musk's salute
The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader sold his electric car three weeks later, with Elon Musk's Nazis salute being the trigger for the decision. 'He did the Hitler salute at the inauguration, and I thought 'I can't consciously drive this anymore'. It's not virtue signalling; it's just a general disgust at it. Every time I had to drive somewhere I was feeling dirty.' Cole-Hamilton was an early seller, with only four for sale within 100 miles of where he lives. Now there's 75 on the market. READ MORE: How Tesla sales fell in Europe after Elon Musk's salute Musk's leadership of the newly created advisory body the US department for government efficiency, or Doge, has been widely criticised, as it had overseen widespread cuts to the US government. This, alongside his increasingly controversial political views, has sparked protests at Tesla dealerships around the world, and pledges from many to boycott the firm. The MSP bought the car in 2019, when Musk 'was a different person'. 'Most people hadn't really heard of him,' Cole-Hamilton explained. 'He certainly wasn't involved in politics, wasn't involved in Twitter, and was seemingly doing some pretty cool things with battery technology and electric vehicles, so, it seemed on the right side of history when it came to the climate emergency. 'So, there wasn't any political thought about it. It was like thinking 'what cereal do you buy?' Politics doesn't come into it.' But now, things have changed. More and more people are boycotting Tesla, Starlink, Twitter/X, and a whole range of other products aligned with the Boycott and Divestment Movement (BDS). 'What Trump and Musk make me feel goes far beyond just changing little things about my daily living,' Cole-Hamilton added. 'A line has clearly been drawn right now and we're seeing this baffling, horrendous tearing up of the older order of things as we knew it. 'The executive orders, the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency or whatever it's called, that Musk has presided over it, offend me on a daily basis. 'We should all be offended by all of it because it's attacking minorities. 'It's attacking inclusivity, diversity. It's why I joined a convoy of five ambulances at Easter to take them to the armed forces of Ukraine, because I think we're on the verge of a historic betrayal of Ukraine by America.' Elon Musk boarding Air Force One (Image: Nathan Howard, REUTERS) When asked whether he thought Musk's actions would turn people off from elective cars, Cole-Hamilton said: 'No, not at all, because other providers are available. I'm driving a fully electric Ford now and it's fine. 'People might say, well, there's political views that Ford have had over centuries but it's not the same. I took a decision from me. It's up to other people to make. Laughing, he added: 'I'm not an evangelist when it comes to getting rid of Teslas. I'm not going to be pointing and booing at Teslas as they go past. 'It's just what people's own conscience allows for them. The Scottish Government continues to use Tesla and Starlink despite Musk's controversial views. READ MORE: Scottish Tesla showrooms to face protests in global day of action First Minister John Swinney previously addressed question over the continued use, stating: 'We've got to operate within the framework of the law, which will then govern many of any decisions that we take in relation to Starlink or Tesla. 'We've got to separate that from whatever we think about some of the conduct, stances, attitudes, and points put forward by Elon Musk.' Cole-Hamilton largely agrees, saying: 'We need to be very careful about where we are in terms of our national relationship with America because so much of our industry depends on American sales and tariff-free access to the American economy. 'I think if we were to take national decisions about using American firms based on politics, that becomes problematic, and that could lead to reciprocal measures in America. However, that doesn't mean 'Scotland should just roll over and let Trump tickle our tummies,' he said. Cole-Hamilton's 'number one priority' is to keep America in the war in Ukraine and urged fellow politicians not to 'make unnecessary shows of boycotts or anything like that on a national stage'. 'I think it's fine for politicians to take personal conscience-based decisions about what they're comfortable doing. But what's happening on a national basis is a completely different ball game.' Going into the Holyrood election, the Scottish LibDems will be looking to take inspiration from Mark Carney (above), the winning Liberal candidate in Canada's recent election. A key component of his winning campaign was how his party would be the ones being tough on Trump. Cole-Hamilton, whose mother is a Canadian, said: 'There is an approach to Trump that can hopefully chart a way to a respectful, mutually beneficial relationship with America, and we'll stand up to him. 'I think Carney's onto a winner there. I wish Keir Starmer showed more of that backbone. 'That doesn't mean rescinding royal visits or unnecessarily provoking a trade war, but we have to be ready to stand by our business interests and we also have to be ready to stand by the fighting men and women of Ukraine.'
The Herald Scotland
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Jamie Greene MSP defends Brexit vote as he joins Scottish Lib Dems
However, when asked if he had changed his mind, Mr Greene said he supported Brexit 'a long time ago' and he criticised his former party for the way it handled leaving the EU. Once the party of 'stop Brexit', Mr Greene's new party, the Liberal Democrats, toned down their enthusiasm to re-join the European Union ahead of this year's general election. In January, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called for a brand-new UK-EU Customs Union deal to "boost the economy and tear down trade barriers" following what he described as the "damage caused by Brexit." READ MORE: Asked by The Herald about how he squares his views on Brexit with joining the Lib Dems, Mr Greene said: 'I'm one of these people who's always had a very rightful suspicion of political institutions which aren't functioning well and I think I voted the way I did but I wasn't a campaigner for it, you can look back and the records will show that. Questioned on whether he has changed his views on Brexit, Mr Greene said: 'I think we are in a different world now that was a long time ago…I think the world is in a much more dangerous place actually. "I think one thing that Alex and I spoke about for a long time is what our relationship with Europe should be now moving forward…and I think there's broad agreement that we need to be much closer to our friends and allies in Europe than ever before. 'What that relationship looks like, who knows. There's a lot of bridges being burned in that but what I would say is that post the Brexit vote is that it wasn't handled particularly well by the conservative government, let's face it. I think that's something everyone agrees with. The MSP's remarks come ahead of his first meeting with the Scottish Liberal Democrat group. The party now has a total of 5 MSPs, meaning they are classified as a parliamentary group which allows for their leader Alex Cole-Hamilton to ask an extra question during First Minister's Questions every week. Asked if he is expecting further defections from the Scottish Conservatives to his party, Mr Cole-Hamilton would not say, but he added: "It would be wrong to say that there weren't Conservatives at every level of the aren't seriously considering their positions just now." His new MSP, Mr Greene, said his door is "always open" to fellow colleagues. Commenting on the addition of Mr Greene into the Liberal Democrat's ranks, Mr Cole-Hamilton said this signals his party ending the SNP's majority on the Scottish Parliament's Bureau, the body which determines the Parliament's agenda. The party's former leader, Willie Rennie will now represent the party on the Scottish Parliament's Bureau. Mr Cole-Hamilton said this 'opens the door' for opposition parties to 'force increased scrutiny of the Scottish Government's activities'. It was also announced that Mr Greene will now represent the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the Public Audit Committee as Deputy Convenor. Mr Cole-Hamilton said: 'With the addition of Jamie Greene to our group, we have gained a principled and eloquent parliamentarian who wants to get things done. 'It is a sign of the growing momentum behind our party and the disarray in which the Scottish Conservatives find themselves. 'His brave decision to join Scottish Liberal Democrats will also have a significant impact on events in the Parliament, because it breaks through years of dominance on the powerful body which controls parliamentary timetabling. The SNP will no longer have the majority say on how Parliament runs and works. 'The Liberal Democrats' elevation to the Bureau will give the majority of MSPs who are not from the SNP back control of our Parliament. The SNP will need to compromise, not railroad through its own agenda. 'The power the Scottish Liberal Democrats now have means SNP ministers can be dragged to Parliament on ferries, teacher numbers and ADHD waits, and they won't be able to hide and dodge scrutiny. That's good for democracy. 'We will work with other opposition parties to use these extra levers over areas such as ministerial statements and the timetabling of debates and legislation to hold the SNP to account and ensure that they are focused on the issues that matter most. 'This is the difference that more Scottish Liberal Democrat parliamentarians can make. If the Scottish Government stay focused on the issues that matter to people we will work with them but if they don't we will use these new positions to be a thorn in their side.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cole-Hamilton pledges support for young carers
Alex Cole-Hamilton has pledged extra school support for young people who care for relatives to ensure they do not fall behind in their studies. The Scottish Lib Dem leader said his party would introduce a "young carers lead" at every school in the country - an assigned member of staff who would provide practical support to help young carers balance their education with their caring responsibilities. The policy is inspired by the party's UK leader, Ed Davey, who cared for his mother as a child when she was diagnosed with cancer. Cole-Hamilton told the Scottish Liberal Democrat conference he would put young carers "at the centre" of the party's manifesto in the run up to the 2026 Holyrood election. Under the scheme, an assigned person at every school would be placed in charge of working with young carers. The BBC understands this would be scaled up if the lead had more carers in the school than they could manage. Winning deputy FM's seat is not a pipe dream - Cole-Hamilton Former Tory MSP Jamie Greene defects to Lib Dems Cole-Hamilton said they would be someone who "understands the challenges [carers] face, and can offer practical support to balance their education with caring for their loved one." Davey has previously spoken about the difficulties he faced in caring for his mother, Nina, who died when he was 15 from bone cancer. In his speech, Cole-Hamilton said: "It's exhausting, overwhelming. A huge struggle to balance school with your caring responsibilities. "Every one of these young people does an incredible job, and they deserve to fulfil every inch of their potential. "It's time to give carers the support they deserve. And that's why the Scottish Liberal Democrats will put carers like them at the very heart of our manifesto next year." Cole-Hamilton told the conference in Inverness the party was "in the ascendancy" following the defection of former Conservative MSP Jamie Greene. He said his was the only party to "unpick the damage" caused by the SNP government on health, and told members they could deliver much more with more MSPs in Holyrood. The party currently has four MSPs, the second smallest portion behind Alba. Earlier this week, Cole-Hamilton said winning the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch seat from deputy first minister Kate Forbes was a realistic target. Forbes' majority is about 16,000, but Cole-Hamilton claimed the SNP had "neglected" the Highlands and said his party was capable of putting forward a successful case. He told the conference the party was also targeting the seats held by Maree Todd and Fergus Ewing, who said he would not stand for the SNP in the 2026. Cole-Hamilton said: "We are coming. We can win those seats. "And that would be the story of the night; the Scottish Liberal Democrats winning back the Highlands. "Highland voices in our parliaments are always strongest when they are liberal voices." Former Tory MSP Greene was welcomed into the Lib-Dems by Cole-Hamilton and Davey on Friday. Greene left the Conservatives in a letter to leader Russell Findlay, claiming the party had become "Trump-esque" in order to appeal to more right-wing voters as a way of combatting the threat posed by Reform. Cole-Hamilton said Greene had found "safe harbour" in the party, describing his defection as "one of the bravest and most principled acts" he had ever seen in Scottish politics. He said others "were set to follow" over the increasing right-wing rhetoric spurred on by Reform leader Nigel Farage. Liberal Democrats headed to Inverness railway station at the close of conference with a spring in their step. The party thinks it's on the up after their general election success last year and want to re-take the Highlands in the Holyrood election next year - a part of Scotland which they see as their political beat. That's all very well - but it's a conference that could have slipped past the public consciousness but for the defection of Jamie Greene from the Conservatives. The entrance of the former Tory on to the conference stage added real, dramatic flair and the party had also managed to build up a sense of intrigue - with his smuggling in reminiscent of a Cold War thriller. The revelation of Jamie Greene also perhaps added a sense of purpose to the party which could be argued had been missing in a post-Brexit torpor. It was something their critics always picked up on - claiming this staunch pro-European party had lost its way. However, the Liberal Democrats are now arguing for a new alliance with Europe and saying they are the ones to who can stem the rising tide of populism and be the true defenders of liberal democracy. That was the theme Alex Cole-Hamilton picked up on his speech. It was an address also designed to be deeply personal - an attempt to show that he is the man ready, willing and able to lead the party to success in spring next year in his first Holyrood campaign as the party boss. He's confident - but this week's defection and even the wider, global feeling of political turmoil means no politician can ever be too confident.
