The funeral of a care worker who was stabbed at a Bedfordshire nursing home is to take place later.

Monica McCanch presented a well-dressed face of confident respectability to the world. She worked for Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company, in Kent before taking redundancy last year for a new life in Jamaica, where she planned to invest in eco-tourism.

Hundreds of thousands of health workers have “grudgingly” voted to accept an improved pay offer, bringing some relief to the government as it faces up to the threat of strikes elsewhere in the public sector, it was announced today.

A leading insurer has called in the Samaritans to help train its staff to be more compassionate when dealing with people making claims.

Despite the fact that doctors are often propounding the positive effects of physical activity, new research has shown that only a high level of mental activity protects against dementia and Alzheimer”s disease.

Allegations some elderly people in Suffolk are not getting the correct level of home care are to be investigated by council managers.