The bill for Scotland’s flagship free elderly care deal has soared by almost 70% in six years to £358 million, a new report says.

Clackmannanshire’s new £20m community hospital has been officially opened by local MSP Keith Brown. NHS Forth Valley said the facility would provide 45 in-patient beds for the physically frail and day services for mental health patients.

DISCUSSIONS between Dundee City Council officials and the Scottish Veterans Housing Association may have found a solution to the funding shortfall at a Broughty Ferry ex-servicemen’s residence.

Doctors have inappropriately prescribed anti-psychotic drugs to as many as 150,000 sufferers of dementia in the UK, according to a government-backed review.

A sheriff due to pass sentence on a man who admitted shoplifting and assault has said she was unable to understand “nonsense” in a social work report.

A project aimed at improving support for children with troubled home lives has delivered “real results”, according the Scottish government.

A project aimed at improving support for children with troubled home lives has delivered “real results”, according the Scottish government.

Almost 100 more jobs could be axed from Aberdeen’s social work service as the local authority prepares for its next wave of multimillion-pound cutbacks, it emerged last night.

A council employee has declined the offer of extra pay for taking up a six month post aimed at helping to control the authority’s social work spending.

Union leaders have urged Highland Council chiefs to meet them urgently to discuss what they describe as the “shambles” in the region’s home-care staffing.