An overhaul of specialist care spanning the next decade is being undertaken in York to cope with the dramatically increasing number of elderly people among the city’s population. York Council has drawn up a series of proposals as it faces critical decisions in ensuring that health provision is adequate to cope with the changing age profile in the city, which is a prime retirement location. The number of York residents aged over 85 is expected to increase by 77 per cent in the next 20 years and the number of older people with dementia is predicted to rise by 36 per cent in the next decade.

{mosimage}The government has chosen Trevor Phillips to be the head of a new human rights and equalities body, the Guardian has learned. Mr Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, met officials last Thursday from the Department for Communities and Local government, which will oversee the new body. He saw Peter Housden and officials involved in the new Commission for Equalities and Human Rights, to learn of the work they have done so far to establish the body.

The announcement of the government’s choice to head the new commission has been delayed several times. The plan is to announce the choice of Mr Phillips next Wednesday. But while ministers regard the former broadcaster as a safe pair of hands, their choice will be opposed by activists who have been conducting a campaign to ensure he does not get the job.

The minister in charge of a plan to identify potential troublemakers even before birth has defended the move, saying state intervention “can work”. Social exclusion minister Hilary Armstrong spoke out as ex-MP Tony Benn likened the plan to “eugenics, the sort of thing Hitler talked about”. Ms Armstrong says the government has to intervene earlier to prevent problems developing when children are older. Tony Blair will outline the strategy in a speech in the regions on Tuesday.

Families caring for loved ones with profound learning disabilities are reaching breaking point, a report has warned. The charity Mencap said seven out of 10 families had reached or come close to breaking point due to the stress of round-the-clock care. Many are denied access to adequate short-break care by local authorities or hospital trusts, the charity said. One in three families questioned said their access to short breaks had been cut in the last year, while six out of 10 felt the breaks on offer never fully met their needs.

Children who grow up with alcoholic parents bear emotional, behavioural and mental scars, experts say. The Priory study said children of alcoholics were four times more likely to be addicted to drink and there was a risk of drug and gambling problems. The private health provider said a child’s early life was characterised by chaos, trauma, confusion and shame and, quite often, sexual and physical abuse. The report found 55% of domestic violence occurs in alcoholic homes.

Most people living in the UK favour imposing restrictions on migrant workers, a new survey has revealed. Three-quarters of those polled for the Tonight With Trevor McDonald: Open Door UK programme felt limits should be put on the number of people allowed into the UK or the type of work they were allowed to do. Overall, only 4% believed the Government had immigration under control and almost half said they were less likely to vote Labour because of the party’s current policy on migrant workers.

Furious residents in Coventry are organising a petition in protest at plans to create a new home in their street for people with mental health problems. The former old folk’s home in Allesley, Coventry, is next to the village primary school and neighbours say they are worried about the effect the plans could have on school children. Patricia Fox, aged 38, said the main concern was that people did not know exactly who would be moving into the home and whether it could cause problems.

A series of drastic cutbacks to adult social care in Wiltshire have been proposed by a cash-strapped council desperate to plug a £7m budget deficit. People with learning difficulties, those needing respite care and the elderly will bear the brunt of the cutbacks as Wiltshire County Council’s cabinet prepares to discuss cuts to day care facilities as part of a corporate recovery plan. The move follows the announcement earlier this year that the council faces a £7m budget shortfall in 2006/07. Dr Keith Robinson, chief executive of the council, admitted the cutbacks would cause anxiety.

Disabled people in south Essex could soon be taking back control over their care thanks to a Government pilot scheme. Gary MacTaggart, 48, of Temple Close, Billericay, is one of five disabled people living on individual budgets as part of the scheme which is being run by Essex County Council. It means Mr MacTaggart, who lives with multiple sclerosis, is in total control of his care, allowing him to budget his money into the things he really needs to make his life easier.

Workmen are putting the finishing touches to what will be the largest residential care home in the county – with some 148 beds. The modern Milton Court Care Centre, in Tunbridge Grove, Kents Hill, which is expected to employ 100 staff, is due to open its doors to new residents in mid November. Caroline Roberts, the general manager of the centre, said: “Both myself and Guy Horwood, the clinical manager, have managed homes and we have also regulated homes. So we have worked on both sides of the fence and we will have to put into practice what we have preached during the past four years.