A slight increase in the income thresholds for recipients of the Carers Allowance and Carers Benefit is coming into effect from today.

THE report into the breast cancer misdiagnosis of Rebecca O’Malley yesterday exposed major flaws in patient care and raised serious concerns about two hospitals designated as national “centres of excellence”.

Tough new checks on people who want to work with children and vulnerable adults are to be introduced in Northern Ireland.

Irish mothers who refuse to believe their cherished sons have fathered illegitimate children are among the most popular users of DNA paternity services, it was revealed today.

Hospitals and other health services around the country are facing the threat of major disruption as up to 35,000 angry staff, including frontline workers, ballot on industrial action.

Members of the public are being urged to come out on the streets to express anger at the state of the health service.

A NEW report on staffing levels in the Health Service Executive is expected to expose widespread geographical discrepancies, with some regions employing too many administrators and managers and others not enough.

SOCIAL Development Minister Margaret Ritchie is under growing pressure to spell out the future of the Child Support Agency after a highly critical report on the body from the Stormont Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The organisation representing managers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) has admitted many patients are not receiving the best of care.

The Taoiseach has defended the Government’s record on health services, saying he wanted to see services improved for the long term.