08/05/2014 Reporting Scotland

combat for the first time. That's all from the BBC News.

Tonight, on Reporting Scotland. The number of patients waiting more than

four hours for treatment in A trebles in past five years.

As police try to tackle domestic abuse the Scottish government

considers allowing people to find out if their partner has a history

of violence. Scottish success at the Olympics but

what good independence mean for sport in Scotland? An exclusive

report. We join Scotland's busiest lifeboat

as stranded walkers cause a huge surge in the number of people being

rescued. And the superb second half

performance that guaranteed Partick Thistle Premiership football next

season. The number of patients who've waited

more than four hours to be treated in accident and emergency has almost

trebled in the last five years. Scotland's financial watchdog found

the performance of emergency units plummeted in 2012 and 2013. Our

reporter Catriona Renton is outside one of Scotland's largest A for

us this evening. Catriona. As you say, Wishaw General Hospital

was one of the biggest A departments in Scotland but it is

failing to meet the target that 90% of patients to be treated within

four hours. Last year, only to hospitals out of 31 A departments

consistently met that target. The Scottish government has decided to

revise that down to 95% but so far only half have reach that target.

The image of trolleys queueing up waiting at accident and emergency.

The NHS aims to treat 98% of patients with an ball-mac hours in

Scotland's accident and emergency departments. A report found the

number waiting more than four hours almost trebled within the last five

years. In 2008 two 2009, 30 6000 waited beyond the target, but in

2012 and 22013, that number rose to 104,000. The proportion being seen

with in the target fell from 97.2% to 93.5%. The Scottish government

downgraded their target from 98% to 95%. Today's report says only around

half of even reaching this reduced target. We have had these statistics

for the long time and that is why I launched this ?50 million plan to

make sure we get to the target. As the auditor general has pointed out,

we are 94% already. Only two hospitals in the whole of Scotland

including the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital achieved the 90%

target for every month of the financial year 2012, 2013. In some

cases, this is because beds are not available at the right time so they

are waiting longer for the bed to be available. In some places it is

differences in the way GPs with their patients, so the report is

about understanding the causes and putting in place the right

solutions. These pressures can have an impact on staff. It is relentless

for staff and for all those who provide services because when you

have demand it means that people have had to continually work harder

and faster to meet that demand, and that pressure can take its toll on

staff. The auditor acknowledges that both the Scottish government and NHS

wards are taking steps to address some of the causes.

Are the only areas in which performance is particularly poor?

Lanarkshire and the Lothians have been named by places that need

improvement. Tayside is doing particularly well and Fife had very

bad figures two years ago but is now one of the best places to be in

Scotland. The auditor says these examples of best practice should be

used to help places that are struggling.

A scheme to allow people access to information about partners who may

have a history of domestic violence, is to be piloted here. Known as

Clare's Law, it's recently been rolled out across England and Wales.

Ministers here are also considering a new offence with a wider

definition of what constitutes domestic abuse. Our Home Affairs

Correspondent, Reevel Alderson reports.

The first thing he would ask me is who have been speaking to. This

story presented by an actor is typical of domestic abuse and

insidious control. By that stage I had become a shell of a person. I

felt like an outline of a person. An outline that would be raised. They

are six courts in Glasgow hearing domestic abuse cases but for

prosecutors that is difficult to bring cases involving controlling

behaviour before the sheriff. That is why the second most senior law

officer wants new legislation. Controlling an individual with any

relationship by physical behaviour, sexual behaviour, psychological and

financial, emotional, all with the purpose of dominating that person

and removing their identity, that is what we need to put before the

court. They is a call for Scotland to have its own Clare's Law, named

after the woman murdered by her boyfriend, that would allow people

to find out if their partners have a history. Domestic rape cases being

investigated are up by 18% and reports of stocking offences are up

43%. There have been two domestic murders and the government says it

is keen to strengthen laws. We ask the government to act carefully to

consider a new offence of domestic abuse. The chief constable has today

imposed a multi-agency group set up to develop a pilot on the Clare's

Law scheme in Scotland. Campaigners say domestic abuse is more than

simple violence. They hope the proposed law changes will give

prosecutors an additional tool to tackle the problem.

You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come on

tonight's programme. The Health Secretary says now one

suffering a chronic illness will have to pay care home fees despite a

government report advising they should.

And joy for Partick Thistle as their premiership future is secured for

another season. England's secateurs and in Aberdeen.

We will find what the Scots skipper has to say.

Scottish athletes will be able to choose between Team GB and team

Scotland ahead of the 2016 Olympics in the country but said

independence, according to a Scottish government report. The

independent analysis compiled by Henry McLeish concludes there are no

obvious barriers to Scotland competing at the games in two years'

time. It is a golden triumphs! When a

Scottish heroes struck gold for team GB in 2012, a nation celebrated, but

if he wants to defend his crown in 2016, just how will he and other

Scots be represented? This report has the answers, a report

commissioned independently by the Scottish government and compiled by

the former first Minister Henry McLeish. With sport high on the

agenda in Glasgow, it is a report that that is at the impact

independence may have on Scottish sport. It makes for some interesting

reading. It highlights the need for urgency in securing funding for

Scottish athletes, because the report says there are no obvious

barriers to Scotland fielding a team at the Olympics in 2016. It also

suggests Scottish athletes will be able to choose between team Scotland

and Team GB. One athlete who has represented Scotland at the

Commonwealth Games and Team GB at the Olympics thinks it could come

down to a fight for funding. A lot of athletes will not be able to make

a living outside of funding, they need to survive and compete. I think

depending who is providing the funding, that could move you and to

who you will be competing for. A Scot in a position of power within

the Olympic Committee says Scotland would need United Nations status

first, and thinks the timing could be an issue for 2016. It is a

process that takes time and entries close in July at the very latest,

and presumably the Scottish National Olympic Committee would like to have

its own qualifying standards. That would be a lots to do and I am not

sure it could be achieved in the time available. If Scotland vote yes

in September it seems the country's athletes could have big decision of

their own. A senior official in charge of a

council department involved in the Mortonhall baby ashes scandal has

been suspended pending an internal investigation. Mark Turley is

Edinburgh City Council's director of services for communities. His

department governs Mortonhall Crematorium. A recent report heavily

condemned its decades-long practice of burying baby ashes in secret, and

found hundreds of parents will never know what happened to their baby's

remains. The Defence Secretary Philip Hammond

has said that it would take significantly longer than a decade

for the UK to remove its nuclear weapons base from Scotland if there

is a Yes vote for independence in September. Speaking to the Press

Gallery at Westminster, he said that removing the submarines, missiles

and warheads from Faslane and building a new base elsewhere would

cost tens of billions of pounds. Although the Scottish Government has

claimed that Trident could be removed from Scotland by 2020, Mr

Hammond said that this would be a matter for negotiation and neither

side can unilaterally impose its aims.

A major investigation is under goal in West Lothian after the woman was

indecently assaulted yesterday morning. Detectives have description

of the man they are looking for and reassuring the public they are doing

everything they can to find him. The woman who was attacked it in her

20s. She came home from her work on Tuesday night, went to bed in the

early hours. She woke around 3:30am to the horrifying sight of a

stranger standing in the room. A 27-year-old woman who has been

residing alone. She retires to her bed in the early hours of Wednesday

morning and while asleep she was awakened by a man entering her

bedroom. She has afterwards subjected her to a horrendous

indecent assault. Police say the motive was not robbery, it was

sexual. They spoke the ordeal, the woman phoned 999 as soon as the man

left and has given a good description. He is said to be aged

between 20 and 30, Aaron 6-foot tall and wearing a light hooded top.

Police said he knew the woman left at that house alone. There have

already been sightings into Wednesday morning and they are keen

to hear from anyone who believes they saw this man to get in touch.

The Health Secretary says he has no plans to have chronically ill people

pay for their own care home fees that's despite a Scottish government

report advising precisely the opposite. Last week, the SNP

government said it would accept the main findings of the Anderson

Review, which would have meant hundreds of seriously ill people

paying tens of thousands of pounds in care home fees. Now the health

secretary appears to have changed his mind, as our Health

Correspondent Eleanor Bradford reports. Margaret has spent ?72,000

on care phone bills. Her husband needs round-the-clock nursing care

but if you lived in England the NHS would be paying. There will be

people watching who will say you were very lucky to have the money to

pay. But it doesn't seem fair if for any other illness, and this is an

illness, it doesn't seem right you should be paying to be ill. If you

are frail and have savings of over ?25,000, you pay care home fees over

and above personal care which is free. If your needs are health

related, the NHS should pay. In England, a clear system for claims

was set up following a landmark court cases. A recent review in

Scotland found patients faced a postcode lottery. To the surprise of

charities, the government accepted a proposal this benefit should be

scrapped. This will be potentially disastrous for families living with

advanced Parkinson's disease in Scotland. And be liable for

thousands of pounds a month for accommodation fees. Today in

Parliament, the Health Secretary had a change of heart. There will be no

system of charging for health care needs in Scotland, no matter whether

someone is being treated in hospital, at home or in a nursing

home. The Cabinet Secretary has made it as clear as mud regarding the

continuation of care. Margaret is no clearer whether she will get her

money back. This is for everybody in my

situation and the people coming up behind me, the next generation.

There is now going to be a consultation, maybe that will clear

up exactly what is and isn't on the table.

In exactly two weeks' time, it will be polling day in the European

parliamentary elections. The people of Scotland will elect six members

to the co-legislative body that sits in Brussels and Strasbourg. The

Scottish contingent elected in 2009 is made up of two SNP members, two

from Labour, and one each from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

And it's that last seat that the Scottish Greens say they are

targeting. Our political correspondent, Lucy Adams, has been

speaking to their lead candidate. It could be any housing estate in

Edinburgh, it is here the Scottish Greens chose to discuss their

campaign because they see their fight for social justice as a

priority. To help the poor, imposed higher taxes on the rich, and offer

a worm -- and welcome to outsiders. This is a politics about a just

economy, in welcoming Scotland and a nation of peace. We are standing

with people suffering from the economic crisis, standing up for

immigration which is good for our culture and economy, and against

military aggression which is NATO. There are six seats up for grabs.

The Greens believe the first viable go to Labour, the SNP and

conservatives, and there will be a battle with UKIP. Voting for them,

they say, is the only way to stop the racist messages of UKIP getting

a foothold. It is clear if voters who reject the mean-spirited and

deceitful values of UKIP, if voters are looking for an alternative, it

is the Greens. The Greens are offering in welcoming Scotland that

once to value and respect immigrants and make a contribution. In the last

elections, the Greens polled 7%. This may, they say they will get

10%, and their first MEP north of the border.

A list of all the candidates is on our website.

A look at other stories from the across the country.

RBS is to remove about one in five of its branch managers in Scotland.

It's part of a major shake-up at the group. The bank says that, although

this will simplify its operations, every branch will still have a

manager. A total of 58 manager or deputy manager posts will be lost in

the move. Aberdeen City Council has appointed

a new chief executive. Angela Scott is the city's current director of

corporate governance. She said Aberdeen was ready to meet the

financial challenges ahead. The Mountaineering Council Of

Scotland has warned that a mild winter might have encouraged the

spread of parasitic ticks. It said hill walkers were encountering large

numbers of the pests. Lyme disease, an infection that can cause

arthritis if untreated, can be transmitted to humans through a tick

bite. The director designate of the

Edinburgh International Festival has announced details of the programme

for 2015. Fergus Linehan is planning more co-productions, including one

starring French actress Juliette Binoche, more music, and greater use

of public spaces. The festival will also begin earlier, bringing it back

into line with the Edinburgh Fringe. When we inherited this incredible

history, it is really about making sure that you hand it onto the next

person and the next generation in good condition.

There's been a surge in the number of people rescued by Scotland's

busiest lifeboat. 500 people were brought to safety in the last five

years after becoming stranded on a tidal island. As Morag Kinniburgh

reports, the public is being urged to stop risking their lives by

wading back across a flooding causeway.

Queensbury lifeboat is the busiest in Scotland in terms of people

rescued. The most common call-out, to the island here. But on the left,

a young child is among those rescued after trying to wade back along the

submerged causeway. The numbers rescued has soared due to the

growing popularity of the island. But some choose not to call for help

and it can be perilous walking back through rising water and strong

currents. There are big holes that people can't see when it is covered

by water. And a considerable drop. If the water is cloudy and they

stray, they can fall into three feet of water. Putting them into danger.

Many get distracted and lose track of time, then panic when they

realised they are cut off. Anyone attempting to cross over to the

island or any other tidal island is X -- is advised to check the tidal

times. The message is, even if you do get cut off, never attempt to

wade or walk back to the mainland. The lace buyouts are operated by

volunteers -- the lifeboats. People often make light of it, but

being cut off is incredibly dangerous. It is only real luck and

the dedication of these crews we haven't had a fatality. The lifeboat

will always respond to a call but they want the public to help by

taking care rather than taking risks with the tides.

Time now for the sport. After securing their Premiership

status, the Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald has now set his

sights on finishing top of the bottom half of the Premiership, and

netting the club a cash windfall. The Glasgow side, last night,

ensured their top flight survival with a 4-2 victory over Hearts.

Jonathan Sutherland reports. Relief come the final whistle for

Partick Thistle. Winners of a game enough to guaranteed another season

in the Premiership. It has been a lot of hard week -- hard work. We

have a good team. We have worked hard all year. It was a sense of

relief. Two - one down at Tynecastle, a contender of goal of

the season drew Partick Thistle level. When Higginbotham fired home

the fourth, they knew they had saved their skins, avoiding the 11th spot

play-off. After a good start to the season, Partick Thistle slid down

the table, winning just eight games this season. But they have been draw

specialists, 14, the highest total of any side in the division. They

are now seven with one match to go. If we win on Saturday, we get the

chance to finish seventh. Naturally it is another quarter of ?1 million.

The things we could that would be great for the squad will stop a

couple of extra players. Partick Thistle have refused to let the

Premiership chance slip through their fingers. The fans have stood

by them and will cheer on their side for another season in the top

flight. Well done to them. A busy day for

clubs elsewhere. Dundee United have refused the

English Championship club that will to talk to their marriage are about

taking over. -- manager. Saint Mirren are

considering whether to offer a new contract to their manager.

Jamie Hammill has been banned for four matches for barging into the

Ross County manager last month. Kris Boyd's winner last month means a

draw for Kilmarnock will keep them safe from relegation.

Hibernian must win to avoid it. The Albion Rovers chairman is

offering one of the cheapest tickets, a pay what you can afford

season ticket. We don't have anything to lose. This is ground

zero for Albion Rovers to re-establish ourselves as a

community club. There is up-to-date sports news and last night's action

on our website. Tennis, Andy Murray admits he was

poor as he crashed out of the Madrid Masters. He says he will step up the

search for a new coach following a shock loss to the world number 40

six, Santiago Giraldo. He said his performance has not been up to

scratch. I have had a number of early losses.

I won a tournament, then lost in the second round. I made the

quarterfinals. It is probably something mental rather than the way

I am hitting tennis balls. I need to have a little think about that, and

see exactly what is going on. That needs to change.

The Scotland cricket captain is positive saying his team could

record a historic win tomorrow. They have to beat England. Over 2,000

spectators are expected to watch Scotland take on England, at a

one-day international in Aberdeen tomorrow.

The stage in Aberdeen is set, so time for some last minute practice.

There is a rich cricketing heritage will stop --. . With the England

side struggling for form, can the Scots get their first win over them

in living memory? England may not have had the winter they would have

liked. From our point of view, we want to put pressure on them and

hope we can bring back some bad memories. The Scotland team are very

much on the rise, after qualifying for the World Cup. Things are very

different for England. They were annihilated by Australia and had a

disappointing recent results against Holland. With their new coach,

England are confident they can stop the rot. But they insist they are

taking their opponents seriously. If we play well, we will be hard to

beat. That doesn't guarantee anything. As always, with cricket in

Scotland, the weather is the main potential enemy. With all involved

hoping the dark clouds stay away. Time now for the weather. Good

evening. Yes, fairly unsettled as we head into the next few days. No

change to what we have seen so far. Tonight is cloudy and wet with low

pressure feeding in weather fronts, rain and cloud. This evening and

overnight, a band of rain spreads north-east. It will cloud over with

outbreaks of rain, heavy at times. Generally in the early hours. Not

really too cold, six Celsius. It does mean tomorrow morning gets off

to a disappointing start, cloudy and damp but it should improve. The rain

tends to fade, the cloud will break. There will be a number of

showers as well. Across the southern half of the country come at a brisk

westerly breeze. Showers should push across quite quickly. Some brighter

skies. Further north, the winds are quite lighter. Temperatures similar

to today, 13 degrees. In sunnier skies, with light winds, it will

feel pleasant. Into the evening, a small ridge of high pressure will

build. The showers will die off. Some late evening sunshine to end

the week. It doesn't last. Saturday, another area of low pressure

bringing more rain and cloud. The weekend will be disappointing,

cloudy and wet. A dry start in the far north, turning wet. Behind it,

some showers. The rain is never far away. Sunday is not much different,

a number of showers around. Feeling cooler. 10 degrees at best. Make the

best of the sunshine if you get it tomorrow.

Now, a reminder of tonight's main news. The number of patients who

have waited more than four hours to be treated in A has almost trebled

in the last four years. The performance of emergency units

plummeted in 2012 and 2013. And that's Reporting Scotland. I'll

be back with the headlines at 8pm, and the late bulletin just after the

ten o'clock news. Until then, from everyone on the team right across

the country, have a very good evening.