The new £12million Nairn Town and County Hospital is a shining example of how the NHS and social work must integrate to provide a holistic approach for residents, according to NHS Highland chairman Garry Coutts.

Red Cross volunteers worked throughout yesterday afternoon to help staff evacuate 41 elderly residents from a care home – less than a year after floods swamped the same building.

Highland Council’s plans to charge £5 a week for day care services will come into force next month leading to anger from some elderly folk who use day centres.

Minister for Children and Early Years, Adam Ingram, today announced the re-appointment of the Convener and five members to the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

A new report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) shows that not only is Scotland’s unemployment rate back to 1996 levels, but poverty is now hitting childless adults harder than pensioners or children.

IRISS have announced the launch of ‘Insights’, a new series of reports providing the social services workforce with brief, accessible and practice-oriented summaries of published evidence on key topics.

The Community Service Team has been given a top award in recognition of its work providing the Scottish Criminal Courts with a reliable community-based alternative to custody.

HEALTH secretary Nicola Sturgeon visited Crosshouse Hospital to meet patients who are benefiting from a new style of treatment for long-term ailments.

Council leaders were urged to look at the turnaround of Glencraft in Aberdeen for inspiration after announcing it was considering closing the Blindcraft factory in Peffermill to save £700,000.

A centre delivering care services for vulnerable children and their families was officially opened in Perth yesterday.