HIGHLAND Council’s social work department is facing a financial crisis because of increased demand for services. Now staffing levels are to be reviewed and there are fears there could be cuts to services to balance the books.

LIBRARIES across the city are to be given information points in a bid to help adults access more health and social care help. The council says many people do not know they are entitled to assistance and benefits.

HEALTH chiefs are basing a new disabled strategy for the Lothians on data collected nearly three decades ago, leading to claims they are underestimating the number of who need help by tens of thousands.

THE short-term future of Cupar’s Age Concern centre has been secured, thanks to a grant of up to £10,000 from Fife Council. There had been fears that the cash-strapped centre could be forced to close within two months.

Aberdeen City Council has been praised for turning around its performance – just a year after being condemned by inspectors for its precarious finances and weak services.

An extra 170 childcare apprenticeships are to be created for young people aged 16 to 19, the Scottish Government has announced.

Health and social care officials in Aberdeen are being urged to review a contract with an employment agency after the “incomprehensible” sacking of a care worker wrongly accused of sexually assaulting an elderly man.

AN ABERDEEN social work boss today said a community service sentences are not a soft option for criminals. And Aberdeen City Council’s manager of criminal justice insisted the punishment was shown to work.

A group of north-east pensioners and their carers returning from a theme-park trip had a lucky escape yesterday when their minibus left a rural road and crashed into a tree.

RADICAL plans have been unveiled to cut by more than half the number of elderly Borderers with health problems living in care and nursing homes or long-stay hospital beds, writes Andrew Keddie.