The government needs to work harder on some of its policies on encouraging the nation to eat healthily, according to a consumer watchdog. Which? said it particularly wanted to see more action on the advertising of unhealthy foods to children.

A Town Hall report investigating alleged theft, corruption and negligence by Camden council workers providing services for the elderly and vulnerable will be kept secret, borough officials said yesterday.

A bed-bound man who has lost half his body weight through illness is threatening legal action after social services cut his home care.

Vital services for people at risk of suicide will close in weeks due to a cash crisis. Mind in Manchester needs £100,000 a year to carry on helping 120 people with severe mental health problems.

SANE, the mental health charity has launched a new email support service to provide support and information to people affected by mental health problems, and is fully funded by The Vodafone UK Foundation charity.

A nurse who was struck off for bullying elderly patients in his care says he will not let the matter lie. An inquiry at the Old Bailey in London heard how Norman Pearce (59) kneed, shoved and kicked patients while he was on duty.

Schools Minister Andrew Adonis has announced further action to ensure better support for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Draft guidance on planning and developing provision for children with SEN has been sent to local authorities and SEN groups for further comment.

A mental health centre in Belsize Park which last year lost a case for unfair dismissal against a nurse with more than 30 years NHS experience is under threat of closure. Staff at Daleham House have been told by management that the home in Daleham Gardens will be closed in November.

Gordon Brown has attempted to draw a clear division between himself and David Cameron over family policy, yesterday arguing that it was not the state’s job to make “ideological judgments” such as rewarding marriage with tax breaks.

{mosimage}The chancellor, under pressure to outline his position on help for parents after the Conservative leader promised to use taxes to promote marriage, told an audience of parents that the government had a duty to support all families “in whatever circumstances” they found themselves.

Mr Brown said government should offer “practical, sustained help, whenever and wherever families need it … rather than making ideological judgments about which types of family or children should or shouldn’t get help”.

The chancellor, whom campaigners for better work-life balances hope will address the growing pressure for new ideas on families and work, also unveiled plans for a labelling system to help parents protect their children from “inappropriate material” on games, films and websites.

Citing the prevalence and diversity of technology as key to the “pressure culture” affecting children, he said the scheme would help parents to exercise the control they wanted. Ofcom had backed a scheme to provide common labelling standards on content across the media.

Fifty jobs and at least one day care centre in either Beaminster or Lyme Regis will go in Dorset County Council’s bid to save £1.5million from its social care budget.