The contribution of immigrants to the UK economy is “very slight indeed” and the main benefits are to the migrants themselves, a pressure group has said. Migrationwatch UK says the economic benefit is equal to 4p a week for each person in Britain. Its chairman Sir Andrew Green accused Whitehall of trying to divert attention from the problems caused by migration.

Police officers could face public disciplinary hearings in “exceptional circumstances” where there are accusations of serious incompetence or neglect. Under powers held by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), officers accused of serious failings could be compelled to attend tribunals open to victims, relatives and the media.

A man who was forced to sell his mother’s home to pay for her nursing-home care yesterday won back more than £50,000 from a health trust in a landmark case. Mike Pearce sold his mother Ruby’s home to meet bills so she could receive round-the-clock care after she was diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s.

Mentally ill patients are being paid by the NHS to take their drugs in a radical experiment to improve compliance. Four patients suffering from schizophrenia are receiving between £5 and £15 each time they have a “depot” injection – a long acting drug which is normally given once a month.

{mosimage}The payments handed out by the Newham Centre for Mental Health in London have dramatically improved the patients’ adherence to treatment and reduced the time they spend in hospital suffering relapses, problems with neighbours and the police. But the scheme has been attacked by mental health managers who say it is unethical, coercive and could have a negative effect on the therapeutic relationship. Persuading mentally ill patients to take their drugs is one of the big challenges in psychiatry, with non-adherence rates ranging from 20 to 50 per cent.

In the US, financial incentives have been used to persuade other types of patient to take regular treatment, specially where it has unpleasant side effects or involves pain or effort. Findings from 10 of 11 studies found offering payments from $5 (£2.50) to $1,000 produced favourable results.

The Care Regulators Association (CRA), the professional membership body for inspection staff working with the Care Commissions in the UK has merged with Social Care Association as from the 1st January 2007.