7 h. ago Scots going private and paying £2.5k for cataract surgery amid an SNP waiting list crisis for eye operations

Thousands hard-pressed Scots are raiding their savings to pay for cataract surgery amid soaring NHS waiting lists, MailOnline can reveal.

Economics

17 h. ago Collectors can fight to pay £7m for a Birkin – but the ‘it’ handbag is no longer cool | Lauren Cochrane

As prices have ratcheted up, the bag created for Jane Birkin has lost its bohemian edge and its fashion appealThe news that Jane Birkin’s original Hermès bag has sold for a record-breaking €8.6m (£7.4m) at auction will no doubt cause some jaws to drop to the floor. However, perhaps it should not surprise – this is a bag design that is often linked to eyewatering amounts of money. Forty years on from the prototype, it’s now less a (very expensive) symbol of style and elegance, and more a way to signal you have a lot of money and you would like everyone to know that.A Birkin has always been expensive – about $10,000 (£7,400), according to the Guardian last year – but the complicating factor is demand. As was reported, two California residents sued Hermès for a practice known as “tying”, which means customers are expected to pre-spend a sufficient amount on other items, such as homewares or jewellery – some say up to $30,000 – before they are even put on the waiting list for a Birkin. ...

Economics

46 h. ago AD FEATURE: One of Scotland’s most advanced eye clinics opens in Glasgow

Vision Scotland has expanded its services with a purpose-built private clinic in Glasgow

Politics

60 h. ago NHS waiting list falls to its lowest in two years – but doctors’ strike threatens to reverse it, experts warn

The NHS waiting list for England has dropped to 7.36 million, new data reveals

Events

64 h. ago Scots dad dies two weeks after hip replacement as investigation launched into NHS care

John Ian Young, who was on a five-year waiting list for the procedure before going under the knife at Hairmyres Hospital on June 5, died just weeks later.

Events

64 h. ago Abandon strikes or risk ‘fragile’ NHS recovery, Streeting warns resident doctors

It comes as new figures show the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England fell to its lowest in more than two years.

Events

3 d. ago Number of patients in UK waiting for lifesaving organ transplant at record high

More than 8,000 people, including almost 300 children, are on waiting list, as NHS sees sharp drop in donorsThe number of patients waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the UK has increased to a record high while there has been a sharp drop in donors, official figures show.More than 8,000 people, including almost 300 children, are on the transplant waiting list, according to NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). With nearly another 4,000 in need of an organ but temporarily off the list because they are too sick or unavailable for an operation, it means almost 12,000 people are living in limbo, waiting for the call that can mean the difference between life and death. Continue reading...

Science

3 d. ago NHS transplant waiting list reaches record high as patients stuck in 'limbo'

12,000 Brits are waiting for a life saving organ donation amid an increase in the number of families not supporting donation at the bedside as one mum admits she's 'scared' it'll come too late

Science

4 d. ago What lies ahead as Scotland’s private sector output hits seven

“Scotland’s private sector recorded a sustained uptick in activity at the end of the second quarter, with growth predominantly driven by service providers.”

Events

8 d. ago Historic Scottish island with castle ruin could be yours for £5.5m

If you have £5.5 million to spare, you could soon be the owner of the Island of Shuna in the Inner Hebrides.

Economics

1 week ago Almost one in five NHS operations now carried out in private hospitals

The waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has fallen to its lowest level for two years

Politics

1 week ago Former Scottish private school teacher jailed for nine years for abuse of 11 boys

The former physics teacher was sentenced to nine years in jail.

Events

2 w. ago Killer police officer Wayne Couzens is 'allowed to jump waiting list' for £17,000 back operation on the NHS

Couzens, 52, who was found guilty of the kidnapping, rape and murder of Sarah Everard, was escorted from HMP Frankland in Durham to a nearby hospital for a lumbar procedure.

Events

2 w. ago Scottish private island with fairytale ruined castle for sale for £5.5m

The island is up for sale for the first time in over 80 years

Economics

2 w. ago DVSA reveals 'best time' to book driving test as backlog remains at record high

The driving test waiting list exceeded 600,000 for the first time ever this month

Politics

2 w. ago Private Scottish Shuna Island up for sale at £5.5m with stunning castle ruins and iconic views

The 1,100-acre Shuna Island in the Inner Hebrides offers castle ruins, cottages, wildlife and a chance to own a slice of Scottish history as it is listed for sale

Economics

2 w. ago Breastfeeding motion at North Lanarkshire Council meeting passes unanimously

Councillors Geraldine Woods and Fiona Fotheringham marked the anniversary of the Breastfeeding (Scotland) Act, which resulted from a Private Member’s Bill presented by former MSP Elaine Smith.

Politics

2 w. ago Scottish Government must solve NHS waiting list crisis as service 'is dying'

"The reality is we now have a two-tier system where those who can afford it pay and those who cannot have to continue suffering."

Events

3 w. ago The Scottish seaside holiday park with its own private beach and restaurant

The popular park has earned rave reviews from visitors and was named the best in the UK last year.

Society

3 w. ago ADHD waiting list led to rise in unregulated private providers – report

A new report suggests there is no evidence of over-diagnosis of ADHD in the UK.

Politics