In Today's Papers

By Maria Ahmed, Mithran Samuel, Caroline Lovell, Derren Hayes and Amy Taylor

A longer life and in better health – marriage really is good for you

A study has found that married adults are more likely to provide informal care to older relatives and disabled children than non-married people.

The Office for National Statistics has produced a report which found that there were health benefits to being married that were independent of socioeconomic status.

Source:- The Times Friday 5 October 2007 page 4

Esme, 103, died six weeks after move from care home

A 103-year-old woman died six weeks after she was forced to move from a nursing home following a dispute over her funding that led to the intervention of care services minister Ivan Lewis.

Esme Collins was served an eviction notice from Abbeymoor nursing home in Worksop, after Nottinghamshire Council was asked to increase the fee they paid for her by £150 a week, a demand they met following an intervention by Lewis.

However, the home did not lift the eviction notice, and Mrs Collins’ family moved her to a home ten miles away. Her daughter said she then “seemed to give up” and died shortly afterwards.

Source:- The Daily Mail Friday 5 October 2007 page 21

Prison wing ‘unfit for animals’ closed down

A damning report from environmental health inspectors has led to the closure of a prison wing after inmates threatened the Prison Service with high court action. The last of 80 prisoners from Gurney Wing at Norwich prison were moved to other jails this week as the prison population in England and Wales was expected to reach record levels today.

Source:- The Guardian, Friday 3 October 2007, page 7

British guards ‘assault and racially abuse’ people during deportations

A joint investigation by the Independent and a group representing failed asylum-seekers reveals that hundreds of people have been beaten and racially abused by the British escort teams in charge of returning them from Britain to their home countries.  The dossier includes 200 cases of sexual, physical and racial abuse but the security company, Group-4 Securicor, said the allegations had not been proven.

Source:- The Independent, Friday 5 October 2007, page 2-3

Scottish news

Porter lends her support to mental health arts festival

Gail Porter, the television presenter, has spoken of her misplaced "embarrassment" at dealing with depression at the launch of a new arts festival in Glasgow which hopes to encourage debate and understanding of mental health issues.

Porter, originally from Edinburgh, who lost her hair through alopecia two years ago, was in Glasgow to lend her support to the first Mental Health Arts and Film Festival in the city.

The festival runs from today to October 19 in Glasgow with a programme featuring more than 40 events, encompassing film, theatre, documentary screenings, comedy and music.

Source:- The Herald, Friday 5 October

Under-fire council draws up £14m cuts

West Dunbartonshire Council has drawn up a list of possible cuts totalling over £14 million.

If implemented, community centres, care homes and libraries would face closure in one of Scotland's most deprived regions.

The council is facing a budget gap of around £10 million for 2008-9 and £5 million for the next 12 months.

Source:- The Scotsman, Friday 5 October

My Son Got Me Hooked On Heroin

A former care home worker has been jailed after becoming hooked on heroin - supplied by her own son.

Lilian Maddin, who had no previous convictions, was lured to the drug by her son Alexander Buchanan when she became depressed.

Maddin of Perth was jailed for 18 months after admitting being concerned in the supply of heroin and diazepam in the town between October and November last year.

Source:- The Record, Friday 5 October

Welsh news

Morgan aims for mental health move

The shadow health minister is set to attempt to get responsibility for mental health legislation in Wales transferred over to the Welsh Assembly.

Jonathan Morgan has won a private member’s ballot which means he will be able to formally make the request.

Source:- Western Mail, Friday, 5 October 2007