Independent Watchdog vs Private Guard Dog
The agency that investigated Scotland’s Covid-19 care homes scandal has been engulfed in a conflict of interest row after documents showed that one of its duties is to protect the reputation of SNP ministers https://t.co/D4QYrNB5sa
— The Times Scotland (@thetimesscot) June 11, 2021
The revelation that Scotland's independent health watchdog (Public Health Scotland) has a remit to behave as a private 'guard dog' to prevent criticism of SNP Ministers is truly shocking.
"Public Health Scotland (PHS), which reported on the mass discharge of patients into care homes, had to score research to determine whether papers challenged or criticised Scottish government policies.
"To generate the score, the framework sets out questions which PHS should ask about material that it places in the public domain, including: “Does it challenge — or could it be interpreted as a critique of — Scottish government position or policy?”We need a swift independent inquiry to get to the bottom of what has been going on.