A national survey is underway in the United Kingdom to find out more about the social care, support and information needs of people with HIV. The survey is being conducted throughout the summer by Sigma Research, specialists in HIV social research.

A leading care charity has called on elderly and vulnerable people across East Lancashire to voice their concerns over proposed social services cuts.

The failure to look at the potential dangers of a restraint method was one of the factors in the death of a boy at a detention centre, an inquest found. A jury ruled the death of 15-year-old Gareth Myatt, of Stoke-on-Trent, at the Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre in Northamptonshire, was accidental.

Neighbouring local authorities should pool their Supporting People cash to fund services for vulnerable people who move across borough boundaries, a senior government official has urged.

Plans to change the way disabled and elderly people in Lancashire are cared for has prompted angry criticism. The county council wants more voluntary and community groups to support people with lower level social care needs.

About 1,200 prisoners are to be freed later ahead of their scheduled release date as part of the government’s attempt to ease prison overcrowding. The offenders are being let out

A hospital department head who threw herself to her death from a 100ft motorway bridge was driven to suicide by NHS reforms, an inquest was told yesterday. Morag Wilson, 32, a manager at Wythenshawe hospital, stabbed herself with a kitchen knife before jumping from the M60 into the Manchester ship canal.

Patricia Hewitt will not be health secretary in new Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s first Cabinet.