Free personal care, the flagship policy of devolution, continues to be a success COSLA President Pat Watters has said. Commenting as an independent evaluation of the policy was published Councillor Watters said: “This is a defining policy for Scotland and it is a policy that has been a tremendous success for Scotland’s elderly.

Thousands of children and retired people face losing youth clubs, support groups and other community services because of a cash crisis at a council-funded organisation. The Pilmeny Development Project warned today that growing debts will force it to close all 14 community initiatives unless it is thrown a cash lifeline by the city council.

Grieving young people in Midlothian will now be able to access help through music therapy, thanks to a £500 grant from the Princes Trust. Midlothian Young Carers, a project run by Children 1st, is one of 11 organisations to receive a grant from The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in the second round of a grants programme funded by Comic Relief.

Plans to introduce a new scheme to ensure the safety of north-east prisoners being held in custody have suffered a major setback after a key member of staff suddenly quit her job.

Dementia costs Scotland £1.4bn a year but not enough is being done to tackle the problem, according to a leading charity. Alzheimer Scotland said that 58,000 people in Scotland are currently diagnosed with dementia, but that number will almost double to 102,000 by 2031.

Patients were removed from official waiting list figures because of staff shortages at a Scottish hospital, prompting claims last night that the statistics were being manipulated. People waiting for hip and knee replacements in one part of Glasgow were excluded from the Scottish Executive’s much-vaunted waiting times promise.

A childminder has been struck off after it was discovered she was looking after as many as 15 youngsters – five times her legal entitlement – strapping some toddlers into car safety seats in the cramped living room of her home. Inspectors acting on a tip-off found nine children crammed into a cold room with only limited space to move around.

When Donald Gibson enters the renal unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary he is flanked by two security guards who watch his every move. It should be a typical hospital scene of patients preparing for a gruelling three-hour dialysis session.

All of Scotland’s major hospitals have passed a crucial cleanliness test for the first time. A recent quarterly cleanliness audit has found that all hospitals and 14 health boards covered achieved a minimum 90% compliance rating.

Volunteers in Scotland will have fewer forms to fill in as a result of new vetting and barring legislation currently going through the Scottish Parliament.