Blood and other tests are a fundamental and increasing part of the treatment and care of patients in the NHS – and a major investment at the Royal Gwent Hospital is helping meet the demand.

A worrying picture of eating disorders among children under 13 has been unveiled by researchers. Figures from the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit showed a child as young as six was found to be suffering from a disorder.

Rhodri Morgan today said he was happy to put his record on public services to voters thanks to lower hospital waiting times. The First Minister was pressed on the Assembly Government’s handling of schools and the NHS when he faced AMs for his last question time before the election.

Home carers will stage a demonstration about plans to privatise care. Carers and service users are expected to turn out in force in Ammanford on Friday to protest against Carmarthenshire Council’s plans for the sector.

Plans are under way to build a new 60-bed residential home in Risca. Caerphilly Council is proposing to build a new home on the site of the existing Ty Darren Residential Home, along with a new car park and associated works.

Cardiff City manager Dave Jones has spoken of the 18 months of hell he and his family suffered after he was falsely accused of child abuse. The case was thrown out of Liverpool Crown Court after the Bluebirds manager was initially charged in November 1999 by police in relation to his time as a careworker on Merseyside during the 1980s.

Wales has made “significant” improvements to cancer services for patients, Assembly Health Minister Dr Brian Gibbons claimed yesterday. Announcing a £4.5m boost to improve cancer services, he also said the NHS has made “substantial progress” in meeting one and two-month waiting times for patients with suspected cancer.

A dangerous paedophile was jailed indefinitely yesterday, only weeks after a judge varied his bail conditions to allow him to spend his wedding night at a hotel. Judge Philip Richards told Kelvin Wagstaff he posed a significant risk to the public and that he must serve a minimum of 12 months in prison before he can be considered for parole.

Police say a crackdown on domestic violence in two Gwent council areas revealed some “significant” results.

Nurses may consider industrial action if a pay award is not introduced in full, a leading Welsh nursing representative warns. Action is likely to exclude going on strike, says RCN Welsh chairman Eirlys Warrington, but would be designed to demonstrate to the government nurses’ anger over what is effectively a pay cut.