Tuesday 18 April 2006

Children’s hospital services at risk from tariff system
Four children’s hospitals have warned ministers that they face large deficits and cuts in services as a result of the latest NHS reforms. The chief executives of Great Ormond Street hospital, Alder Hey in Liverpool and Sheffield and Birmingham Children’s Hospital say the operation of the fixed price tariff will leave them about £22m a year worse off.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 2

Boy, 12, who went missing with mother is found dead
The body of a 12-year-old autistic boy who disappeared with his mother after she left an apparent suicide note has been recovered from the River Humber. His mother, who was being treated for depression, is still missing.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 11

Emotional fallout
Children under the age of five who witness domestic violence suffer similar emotional problems to those who have been physically abused, research from the Institute of Public Policy Research has found.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 14

Heseltine urges Tories to stop bashing public sector workers
Lord Heseltine mounts a strong attack on members of his own party today for their dismissive approach towards six million public servants, which he says could jeopardise the Tories’ election prospects.
Source:- The Times, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 29

Teacher breaks down while delivering speech on stress
John Illingworth, a former president of the National Union of Teachers, broke down in tears yesterday as he revealed how stress and “government bullying” had forced him to quit the profession.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 4

School puts happiness on syllabus
Wellington College in Berkshire, on of the country’s leading independent schools, is to put lessons in happiness on the timetable for the first time from September to improve pupils’ chance of leading a fulfilling life.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 4

Warning: campaigns to promote health are a waste of money
Health promotion campaigns by the government do not change people’s behaviour and the money would be better spent on treating patients, according to the Royal College of Nurses.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 7

Stress is linked to depression
A hormone released during periods of long-term stress has been directly linked to depression by scientists for the first time.
Source:- The Independent, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 7

Dozens of hospitals to close as crisis deepens
Particia Hewitt is preparing for a wave of hospital closures as the financial crisis in the NHS deepens.
Source:- The Daily Telegraph, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 1

Most victims of crime are poor
Poor families suffer the most from violent crime, a damning report by the Institute of Public Policy Research reveals today.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 1

One in four may vote BNP
Up to one in four may vote for the far right BNP in next month’s local elections, a report reveals. The study by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust says the racist group is cashing in on disillusionment with mainstream parties in white working class areas over issues such as housing, jobs and immigration.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 14

Let’s lock up Blair
Teachers yesterday condemned the “sleaze and cronyism” at the heart of Tony Blair’s city academies and called for him to be jailed is he has committed a crime in relation to the cash-for-honours row.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 23

This boy was given an Asbo at the age of 11.Just days after his order ended he ran riot again
A boy who was 11 when he became the youngest person in Britain to be given an antisocial behaviour order is terrorising his village again – just days after his Asbo ended.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 18

Britons turn to alcohol to mask depression
Britons are using “dutch courage” to make the fact that they are suffering low-level depression, according to research by the Mental Health Foundation.
Source:- The Guardian, Tuesday 18 April 2006, page 5

Scottish news

Plan to build a future for single mothers
Single mothers will become bricklayers, joiners and plasterers under a new programme to help women from Scotland’s poorest areas into work.
The programme, based on Glasgow Council’s building services’ modern apprenticeship scheme, will primarily target women in the most deprived postcode areas in the city and will help them with specific difficulties such as transport needs and childcare.
It is the first local-authority training programme in Scotland to provide accredited construction skills for women who are lone parents.
Source: The Herald, Tuesday 18 April

Alcohol abuse ‘epidemic’ could double deaths
Deaths linked to drinking will double over the next 20 years, according to a comprehensive dossier on health problems in the west of Scotland.
The report by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health suggests policies based on improving health purely by tackling poverty are out of date and calls for a radical approach to deal with the threats of excessive drinking and obesity.
Authors say policies need to reach all demographics and combine local campaigns involving schools and local initiatives with rolling national campaigns.
Source: The Herald, Tuesday 18 April.

Bin the blades
Police are planning to introduce “blade bins” as part of a drive to rid Scotland of lethal weapons.
They would sit alongside recycling bottle and paper banks and allow knife carriers to give up their weapons without going into a police station.
The controversial bins, earmarked for Glasgow communities, would be manned full-time and their proposed launch would coincide with a weapon amnesty which starts next month.
Source: The Record, Tuesday 18 April

Welsh news

Need for nurses in schools is ‘urgent’
An assembly member has called for more school nurses after figures revealed that there is only one for every seven schools in Wales.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Peter Black said that school nurses provided a vital role in schools as part of their pastoral care teams.
The latest figures show that at the end of 2004 there were only 249 school nurses employed in Wales and that one fifth were due to retire by 2014.
Source:- Western Mail, Tuesday 18 April 2006

Too many using drink for ‘medicinal purposes’
Too many people are using alcohol to cope with stress and anxiety according to a new report.
The research by the Mental Health Foundation warns that such “self medication” could lead to mental health problems.
The study of more than 1, 000 people found reliance on alcohol was widespread, with 88 per cent of people saying that it would be difficult for them to give it up.
Source:- Western Mail, Tuesday 18 April 2006