Care-home staff held on suspicion of poisoning

Care home staff held on suspicion of poisoning
Detectives are investigating the deaths of seven people at an old people’s home in the West Country.
Avon and Somerset Constabulary said last night that a man and woman had been arrested on suspicion of administering a noxious substance to an 97-year-old woman. Both have been released on bail.
A further six deaths are also being investigated at the Parkfields Residential Home in Butleigh, near Glastonbury, in Somerset.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 8

Parents are focus of new childhood anti-obesity education campaign
Parents who fail to control what their children are eating, because of their busy lives, social pressures or lack of knowledge, are the focus of a new anti-obesity campaign launched by the government today.
Source:- The Guardian, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 13

Detainees riot
Seven staff and two inmates were taken to hospital during rioting at Campsfield House immigration removal centre, near Oxford, over the attempted deportation of a detainee. Fires were lit and 60 inmates were sent to other centres. Last night one was still in hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation. Source:- The Times, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 4

Internet ‘abduction’
An 18-year-old Italian man was questioned on suspicion of abducting a 13-year-old girl who was believed to have agreed to meet an internet acquaintance. Hannah Cooper, from Southminster, Essex, was found safe in a London hotel. She was said to have met an Italian claiming to be 14 or 15 in an online chatroom.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 4

Care plan criticised
Government plans outlined in a white paper to move care out of hospitals and into GP surgeries are unlikely to save money and could result in worse care, an NHS report says. Services such as the care of diabetics can be delivered by nurses, but others, such as minor surgery, are better provided by hospitals, it says
Source:- The Times, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 11

‘Academies failing to improve basic skills’
The government’s most senior education official last night admitted that he was “greatly concerned” about poor English and maths results in Tony Blair’s academy programme.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 23

Tearful boyfriend tells how family killed ‘for honour’
A man broke down yesterday as he told a jury how his lover was murdered by her father and uncle because it was thought their relationship brought dishonour on her Kurdish family.
Source:- The Times, Thursday 15 March 2007, page 29

Scottish news
No social care news today.

Welsh news

Council rescues Age Concern
Neath Port Talbot have put forward a £20, 000 rescue package for Age Concern services in the area. The move came after Age Concern appealed to the council for help with financial problems.
Suorce:- Western Mail, Thursday 14 March 2007

Data protection calls ‘a risk to education’
An ever increasing number of freedom of information requests have been labelled a “risk” to education services in one county.
Officers at Conwy Council said that the volume of requests was “diverting resources from delivering core services”.
Source:- Western Mail, Thursday, 14 March 2007