NHS neglects people with learning difficulties and mental health problems

NHS neglects people with learning difficulties and mental health problems
The NHS has neglected patients with learning difficulties and mental health problems, a Disability Rights Commission investigation has found.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 14 September 2006, page 9

Ministers reject limiting alcohol adverts
The government has rejected calls from its Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to tighten alcohol advertising and sponsorship.
The council had called for alcohol advertising to be banned on television and for drinks companies to be prohibited from sponsoring events attended by under-18s, but ministers said this would be disproportionate.
Source:- Financial Times, Thursday 14 September 2006, page 2

Nurses to leave NHS and sell services back through limited company
Around 700 nurses and therapists have set up a social enterprise to run the community health services they previously delivered through a Surrey primary care trust.
East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey PCT has transferred its community health provision to Central Surrey Health, which will be run as a mutual company by staff, who will retain their NHS terms and conditions.
The move is strongly supported by the Department of Health as a groundbreaking example of social enterprise in the public sector.
Source:- Financial Times, Thursday 14 September 2006, page 2

Boost pay to help working mothers, says Harman
Family justice minister Harriet Harman has mooted raising the minimum wage and child benefit and having compulsory equal pay audits to boost incomes for women and improve work-life balance.
Harman, who is expected to stand for Labour’s deputy leadership, suggested the moves in a speech to the Trades Union Congress annual conference.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 14 September 2006, page 13

Cancer rates rise among children
The rate of cancer among children in Europe has risen by almost a fifth over 20 years.
Source:- The Independent, Thursday 14 September 2006, page 4

Escaping poverty more difficult
Education secretary Alan Johnson has said it is getting harder for people to escape poverty, in what was seen as a speech to launch his bid for Labour’s deputy leadership.
Source:- The Independent, Thursday 14 September 2006, page 8

Scottish news

Adoption reforms provoke fury at Holyrood
Peter Peacock, minister for education and young people, has defended the executive’s new adoption reforms from criticisms over allowing gay couples to adopt.
He said by allowing gay couples, for the first time, to consider adoption jointly, the pool of potential adopters would be increased significantly.
But SNP member Roseanna Cunningham, said she had “deep unease” over the proposals. 
Source:- The Herald, Thursday 14 September 2006
 
First fall in six years for public sector workforce
The number of people employed in the public sector in Scotland has dropped for the first time in nearly six years.
Figures released by the executive showed there were 585,600 public employees in the second quarter of this year,  a drop of 300 from the previous three-month period.
The figures showed that public-sector employment in Scotland has increased by 58,300 since devolution in 1999, with local government – including education and social work – accounting for more than 30,000 of that.
Source:- The Scotsman, Thursday 14 September 2006

Welsh news

Husband ‘lived with body for five months’
A pensioner lived with the body of his dead wife lying in bed at their home for five months an inquest heard yesterday.
Police went to the house in Graigwen, Pontypridd, South Wales last November to enquiry about Howard Lewis’ wife after reports that she had not been seen for some time and found the body. Lewis told officers she was asleep in bed.
Source:- icWales, Thursday 14 September 2006