Friday 8 April 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Simeon Brody, Derren Hayes and Sally
Gillen

GMB agrees deal on suspended leader’s exit

The suspended leader of the GMB union, Kevin Curran, last night
agreed to leave the union after reaching a settlement with its
executive that includes an assurance that he leaves with his
integrity intact.

His removal, over alleged but unproven ballot irregularities,
follows an intense power struggle in the union.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 8 April 2005 page 8

Group fights for review of Asbos

Asbo Concern, a new penal reform group, is calling for a penal
review of the way asbos are used.

Source:- The Guardian Friday 8 April 2005 page 11

Labour will give parents power to take over schools

Parents will be given the “ultimate sanction” of
ousting the management of failing schools under plans being
unveiled next week in Labour’s election manifesto.

The proposal will correspond with similar measures for expanding
the private and voluntary sector’s role in the NHS and giving
people more say in the operation of local authority services.

Source:- The Times Friday 8 April 2005 page 2

Police “left woman to die in cold”

A heroin addict died of hypothermia in a field after police dropped
her in another force’s area to “get her off their
patch”, a court heard yesterday.

Michelle Wood, 25, from Grimsby, was found dead on rural land in
Lincolnshire in February 2003. Three officers deny
manslaughter.

Source:- The Times Friday 8 April 2005 page 13

BNP leader is granted bail

Nick Griffin, leader of the British National Party, was granted
bail yesterday after he appeared in court charged with four racial
hatred offences linked to a BBC documentary.

Source:- The Times Friday 8 April 2005 page 16

Obsession with NHS targets is “killing
patients”

Patients are dying from the MRSA superbug because of Labour’s
obsession with health service targets, Michael Howard claimed
yesterday.

The Tory leader said doctors and nurses were prevented from closing
infected wards because hospital managers were worried about not
hitting their targets.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Friday 8 April 2005 page 4

Woman charged with murder of baby

A woman was charged with the murder of 10-day-old baby girl whose
body was found in a canal. The woman will appear before magistrates
in south-west London today.

Source:- The Independent Friday 8 April 2005 page 18

Lesbian wins access to children of former lover

A lesbian has won joint custody of the two children of her former
lover, in a ruling described as a breakthrough for the rights of
gay parents. The woman took the case to court after her former
girlfriend, who is the girls’ biological mother, denied her
access to them.

Source:- The Independent Friday 8 April 2005 page 21

Scottish news

Integration scheme aims to help refuges rise above barriers

Public service union Unison, yesterday announced the launch of a
new integration scheme to bring refugees into work in public
services.

The New Workers project is a pilot funded by the Home Office,
giving 16 refugees work experience in health and social care and
related fields. The first Scottish authorities to commit to the
project are Greater Glasgow Health Board and South Lanarkshire
Council, while discussions with Glasgow Council and Lothian Health
Board are continuing.

Source:- The Herald Friday 8 April

New social work chief

Edinburgh Council has appointed Peter Gabbitas health and social
care director, after a shake-up of social work services in the wake
of the death of 11-week-old Caleb Ness.

Source:- The Scotsman Friday 8 April

Stress is a real pain

Stress and depression have taken over from back pain as the main
reasons for workers claiming incapacity benefit.

Psychiatrists writing in the British Medical Journal, said that
since 1995, the number of people reporting stress that was caused
or made worse by work had doubled. Nearly 200 million days were
lost through absence in 2003 – up 10 million on 2002.

Source:- Daily Record Friday 8 April

Welsh news

Anguish of anorexics’ parents

Parents are selling their homes to pay for healthcare for their
anorexic children because of a lack of provision in Wales.

The Eating Disorders Association warned that until a centre –
the first of its kind in Wales – opens later this year,
sufferers are forced to travel across the border to England for
treatment.

But director of operations at the new Welsh centre for Eating
Disorders Keith Woodall said the effects of not having a specialist
service in Wales may already be devastating.

The centre for 16-24-year-olds is due to open in Cardiff in
November this year.

Source:- Western Mail Friday 8 April