The treatment of a 63-year-old County Fermanagh woman who died in Belfast City Hospital has been criticised by the Northern Ireland Ombudsman.

Deaf people last night received a £1.3m funding boost. The money will enhance the supply of qualified British and Irish sign language interpreters and tutors. Currently around 5,000 profoundly deaf

Stormont Health committee chair Iris Robinson last night accused her political rivals of twisting her comments on homosexuality and denied she believed it was a mental disorder.

The Minster for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin said today she had grave concerns following a study showing children as young as 12 years of age are abusing drugs.The Minster for Social and Family Affairs said today she had grave concerns following a study showing children as young as 12 years of age are abusing drugs.

An inquest has heard how a suicidal man took his own life two days after being sent home from hospital because no psychiatric beds were available anywhere in Northern Ireland.

A 17-year-old Dublin girl who was having “a bad come-down” on prescription drugs when she scalded her social worker has had her sentence adjourned by Judge Patricia Ryan until November.

Not enough is being done to help the victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse in the North, it was admitted today as ministers launched a new five-year victim-focused strategy.

Health chiefs and the trade union Impact are expected to hold talks next week over a row about an alleged recruitment freeze.

Health service workers belonging to the IMPACT trade union held lunchtime protests at 28 venues nationwide. 28,000 workers staged lunchtime protests today to highlight their dispute over staffing levels, which the IMPACT trade union claims is affecting patient services.

A fresh battle is under way on behalf of thousands of nurses who have lost out on a cut in hours, while their colleagues get a shorter working week.