Today, I visited Lockerbie. 30 years since this beautiful small Dumfriesshire town became the centre of international attention for harrowing reasons. I wasn’t visiting, because I was necessarily obliged to. But because after learning lots about what happened on the night of 21 December 1988, I wanted to come here alone and at my own…
Tag: Scotland
The road to Sleep In The Park 2018
Last night, with exactly one month to go until Social Bite’s Sleep In The Park 2018, I spoke at Dunfermline Toastmasters to explain I decided to take part in the event. About two months ago, I had the privilege in chatting with KT Tunstall for Wave FM News – she told me about the importance…
How Scottish community pharmacies can be of assistance to patients today (13 May 2017)
A cyber attack has reportedly affected much of the NHS in Scotland and England. I have worked as a community pharmacist for a time of well over the last four years. Please take a look at a video I published this morning with some important information for patients north of the border.
Pro-EU demonstrators march in Edinburgh
The march took place alongside similar events in other European cities such as London and Rome
More bad weather hits Scotland
Kirkcaldy was one of many places facing more bad weather, three days after Storm Doris
Happy New Year for 2017!
Another year, another 12 months ahead.
Official Anas Hassan Podcast – Pilot Episode
After trying out some podcasting last year without continuing success, here we go again as 2016 comes to a close. In this pilot episode of Official Anas Hassan Podcast: Should Fidel Castro be honoured in the Scottish Parliament? The results of a poll I conducted over on my own Twitter page over which was preferable…
Let’s extend and invest in Scotland’s Minor Ailment Service, abolish exemptions for patients and relieve the pressure across NHS Scotland
Scotland’s Minor Ailment Service (MAS) has been a well regarded success in the field of pharmacy over the best part of the last decade. It has opened up as a credible alternative to waiting for an appointment with the GP for many patients north of the border when it comes to treating a selection of…
Why minimum alcohol pricing eliminates the need for fining binge drinkers on the NHS
Towards the end of last year, I ran a poll online asking potential participants whether they agreed with the idea of fining patients who use the NHS as a result of binge drinking. Nearly 58% of people who responded to the poll voted against the idea, but over 40% sympathised with such a policy (link via my…
SPEECH: Why potential cuts to community pharmacy in England could impact on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
After days of writing this speech, failed attempt after failed attempt to produce a worthwhile speech and lots of frustration, I am delighted to reveal my own assessment, on camera, of how proposed cuts to the English community pharmacy network could have consequences for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as England. With over…
At the end of the day, ALL of us Scots are immigrants of our nation
At the end of the day, Scotland would never exist the dynamic and outgoing nation that it truly is without continuous and uninterrupted immigration. Nobody living here is bigger than the nation. And let’s face it, who is defined as a Scot? The unambiguous answer is that it is every person who lives here, who…
Volunteers wanted for a new programme on 1st anniversary of Scottish independence referendum
It has been nearly one year since Scotland voted on the issue of independence. And it hasn’t been boring in the slightest! In the aftermath of the vote, I produced a programme called “The Campaign For Scottish Independence: A Reflection” where a group of Yes voters, a prominent No campaigner and a chosen neutral observer…
