In Today's Papers

By Amy Taylor, Clare Jerrom and Alex Dobson.

Mental health 'still the poor relation'
Staff shortages, unacceptable buildings and a lack of beds mean that mental health services are still the 'poor relation of the National Health Service', according to a new report.
The research, by the Commission for Health Improvement, found that there was a national shortage of psychiatrists and nurses with agency staff being used to fill the gap.
Other findings show that priority was being given to adult services over those for children and older people.

Source:- The Financial Times Thursday 18 December page 4
Labour MPs attack move to put refugee children in care
Labour MPs attacked David Blunkett's plans to put children of failed asylum seekers into care yesterday.
The opposition came from the Labour backbench during the second reading of the Asylum and Immigration Bill.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has also levelled criticism at the bill raising concerns that it could fail to protect the most vulnerable asylum seekers by over focusing on restrictive measures.
Source:- The Financial Times Thursday 18 December page 4
Biggest councils improve their ratings
The largest councils in England have improved their rating in the comprehensive performance assessment, the Audit Commission announced yesterday.
More county councils were rated as "good" or "excellent" than any other group.
Councils will be put through a much tougher process when the commission revises the way assessments are made for 2005.
Source:- The Financial Times Thursday 18 December page 6
No mercy. No regret
Blunders by Cambridgeshire and Humberside police forces allowed Ian Huntley to slip through vetting checks when he was hired as a school caretaker in Soham.
Huntley, who was given two life sentences yesterday for the murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, has been accused of nine sexual offences, including a string of rapes, an indecent assault on an 11-year-old child and unlawful sexual intercourse with four young girls.
But none of these investigations ended in a successful prosecution and details were not kept on file to be passed on when he applied for the job or when he fell under suspicion when the girls disappeared.
Home secretary David Blunkett has ordered an inquiry to establish how Huntley came to be given the job.
Source:- The Times Thursday 18 December page 1
Police chiefs face sack over mix-up
A mix-up between Cambridgeshire and Humberside police forces over Huntley’s name was central to the failure to use intelligence about the sexual assault allegations against him.
Last night, the chief constables of both forces were fighting for their jobs after the sequence of events that allowed Huntley to slip through the net.
He was using the alias Ian Nixon at the time he applied for the school caretaker’s job, but did not provide the name Huntley to his prospective employers. For reasons which the two forces are still unable to agree on, no checks were done on the name Huntley.
Source:- The Daily Mail Thursday 18 December page 6.
Couple who adopted boy from Hell win their fight for damages
A couple whose lives were turned into a ‘living Hell’ by the uncontrollable boy they adopted, won a claim for damages yesterday.
The court of appeal ruled that the 48-year-old man and his wife, 41, should be compensated by Essex Council for the upheaval and depression they suffered after the boy and his sister were placed in their care.
Judges heard that the boy turned the couple’s lives upside down after he moved in. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and prescribed the drug Ritalin. At one stage he threw an electric iron at his baby sister and threatened to kill his adoptive father with a carving knife.
Appeal judges upheld the couple’s claim that the council had been negligent in failing to inform them before the adoption about the boy’s behavioural problems.

Source:- The Daily Mail Thursday 18 December page 39.
Scottish newspapers
NHS fears over children being prescribed anti-depressants
Fears that GPs are over prescribing anti-depressants to children has urged the NHS to collect information on the number of youngsters in Scotland being given the drugs.
Health campaigners believe there could be as many as 5,000 Scottish children given controversial drugs such as Seroxat by their family doctors.
The move follows a report from the Committee on Safety of Medicines last week, which claimed the majority of the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants are unsuitable for children and can lead to suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
Source:- The Herald Thursday 18 December
Old Firm ‘go easy’ message on alcohol
A unique television initiative, backed by a brewer and two of the most powerful voices in Scottish culture, will address the nation’s £1 billion binge-drinking crisis.
Carling, the brewer of beer, and the managers of the Old Firm have collaborated on a series of commercials in a bid to encourage Scots to moderate their drinking.
Source:- The Scotsman Thursday 18 December
6,000 more out of work
The number of people unemployed in Scotland rose by 6,000 to 148,000 in the last quarter, according to figures published yesterday.
Unemployment across the UK fell by 7,900 to a 28-year low of 917,000.
Annie McGuire, Scotland Office minister, said the new Scottish total was still 16,000 lower than a year ago.
Source:- The Daily Record Thursday 18 December
Welsh newspapers
Prison bosses hit back at racism claims
Prison officials have defended a Welsh prison that was criticised over incidents of racial discrimination.
A recent report from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) highlighted, a number of cases of racial harassment over a two-year period at the privately run HMP Parc prison in Bridgend.
Roy Woolford of Securicor, the company that run the prison, said that it was healthy and safe and that the company was committed to maintaining good race relations among all prisoners and staff.
Source:- South Wales Echo Wednesday 17 December page 3
Wales trailing other parts of Europe on child cancer survival rates
Children in Wales who suffer from cancer are more likely to die than their counterparts in other countries and the difference in survival rates may be due to the health care they receive, said a new report.
The report published by Euro-care-3 looks at survival rates across 20 European countries and lead authors, Dr Gemma Gatta said the majority of child cancers are curable or at least respond well to treatment, but that up-to-date treatment protocols are needed to secure positive outcomes.
Source:- Western Mail Thursday 18 December page 7
Fears that children’s champion will have less power than England’s
Concern is growing that a new children’s commissioner for England is likely to have wider powers than the Welsh commissioner, Peter Clarke.
In last month’s Queen’s speech, the UK government committed itself to the appointment of a commissioner in England and it is thought that the English advocate for children will be granted powers currently denied to Peter Clarke.
Source:- Western Mail Thursday 18 December page 9