Health experts warn of English addiction to binge drinking

By Mithran Samuel, Clare Jerrom and Amy Taylor

Work-related ill health ‘affects 2m’
 
Health and social welfare are among the occupations with higher-than-average rates of work-related illness, Health and Safety Executive figures show.
 
They also showed that around two million people believe they suffer from health problems brought on or made worse by work.
 
Source:- Financial Times Friday 4 August 2006 page 2
 
 
More NHS job cuts announced
 
Plymouth Hospitals NHS trust has announced 100 compulsory redundancies as part of the scrapping of 400 posts, to combat deficits.
 
Source:- Financial Times Friday 4 August 2006 page 2
 
You deserve to die in jail
 
A man who admitted 42 counts of abuse on 21 children over 30 years was jailed for 20 years yesterday.
 
Robert Smith was told by Judge Paul Hoffman, presiding, that this was the worst case of child abuse he had encountered.
 
Source:- Daily Mirror Friday 4 August 2006 page 17
 
 
Big rise in children’s diabetes
 
The UK has one of the fastest growing rates of Type 1 diabetes among children, a study of 57 countries has indicated.
 
Rates rose by 4 per cent in the UK, compared to 2.8 per cent worldwide and 3.2 per cent in Europe, Finish research showed.
 
Source:- Daily Mirror Friday 4 August 2006 page 20
 
 
Health experts warn of English addiction to binge drinking
 
Successive governments were accused of failing to act against the drinks industry by a public health director, after research showed that almost one in five adults drink more than the daily recommended amount at least once a week.
 
North-west regional director of public health Professor John Ashton said fears of nanny state accusations had “intimidated” governments into tackling manufacturers of cheap alcohol, following the research by Liverpool John Moores University.
 
Source:- The Guardian Friday 4 August 2006 page 9
 
 
Obesity increases risk of dementia, says study
 
Swedish researchers have found that having high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels in middle age significantly increases the risks of dementia in older age.
 
Source:- The Guardian Friday 4 August 2006 page 10
 
 

Scottish news

Under-10s charged with rape, robbery and carrying firearms

Children aged under-10 have been charged with serious crimes such as rape and carrying firearms in Lothian and Borders in the last year.

According to the police, a hardcore of persistent offenders were responsible for many of the 400 offences.

Source:- Evening News  Thursday 3 August

Welsh news

Third man escaped from open prison near Usk

A third man escaped from an open prison as the police looked for two missing paedophiles the Prison Service has revealed.

Marc Andrew Bennett, who was serving three years for burglary with intent to steal, escaped form HMP Prescoed near Usk a day after the other two men managed to break free. Martin Aspinall and John Elms, both sentenced to life for raping young girls, escaped a week ago but were recaptured on Sunday afternoon.

Pressure is increasing on Home Secretary John Reid to carry out a review of the policy of transferring sex offenders near the end of their sentences to the open jail.

Source:- Western Mail, Friday 4 August 2006