Scotsman leader: Does the political will exist to reform NHS?

Scotland's NHS will be at the centre of the Holyrood election campaign

It is quite an illustration of the crisis impacting our NHS. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns that without a sustained political focus on reducing extreme long waits in accident and emergency, it could take more than 200 years to return to levels seen in 2016.

The intervention, just ahead of MSPs wrapping up at Holyrood for the election is a timely one indeed.

Last year, more than 75,077 people waited 12 hours or more to be admitted, discharged or transferred from major emergency departments in Scotland.

The RCEM conservatively estimates that there were 818 associated excess deaths related with long waiting times in 2025 – 16 people every week.

Of course all parties fighting the election in May will pledge to tackle the issues in the NHS. They may make major funding pledges as the way to finally get on top of the problem. But the truth is, as we have said before, no one political party will ever be able to carry out the sort of root and branch reform which is required while operating in a five-year electoral cycle.

Difficult, perhaps unpopular, decisions, will need to be made. A consensus across the political spectrum will have to be found. And most importantly a realisation is required that despite what politicians say on the soapbox, a project like fixing the NHS is never going to happen overnight. It will take many, many years, if not decades.

A brave move would be for the new parliament to decide to put party politics to one side on NHS reform. To accept that that while our health service it is one of the most precious things we have, it has to be reformed to be made fit for the future. To launch a genuine cross-party effort involving senior health leaders and those on the frontline in finding the solutions we need.

It will not be easy and it will certainly not be quick. But it could happen a lot sooner than 200 years if there is the political will.

Sadly, we expect what will happen will be more of the same for the next five years, no matter who is ultimately elected.

Whale I never, headbutting under sea

Think punch-ups are confined to outside pubs on a Saturday night? Think again as whales have been caught on camera headbutting one another.

Researchers at St Andrews reveal the sperm whales have been captured on film engaging in the activity for the first time, confirming accounts by 19th-century mariners of the animals using their heads to deliberately push and strike objects.

Quite why they were headbutting one another is unknown, especially as the sea – you would think – would be big enough for everyone.

But it has excited the team nonetheless.

They say the report raised “intriguing” questions about the reasons and consequences behind such behaviour, as well as its impact on group dynamics.

“It’s exciting to think about what as-yet unseen behaviours we may soon uncover," said one.

Our money is on another whale breaking up the headbutters before they all make up and go for a kebab.