News

Child carers 'left to cope alone'

A charity for young carers is calling on the government to set up an urgent inquiry into the plight of children caring for disabled relatives. It follows the recent case of Deanne Asamoah - a 13-year-old girl who died from an overdose of morphine. It emerged she had been caring for her terminally ill mother for four years.

9 May 2007
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Banks face action over dyslexia

A man with severe dyslexia has launched a legal challenge against two High Street banks about the way they communicate with disabled customers. Robert Neil from Norfolk has difficulty understanding written words and figures, and says he has paid thousands of pounds in bank charges. He says he now has a bad credit rating after becoming inadvertently overdrawn.

8 May 2007
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'Changes needed' in social care

An overhaul in social care with more state-funded support for the most vulnerable is needed, a survey says. Social care is effectively means-tested in the UK apart from Scotland where personal care is provided free. But a poll of 2,306 found most people were against the current arrangements, although many accepted some individual contribution may be needed.

8 May 2007
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Long wait for coeliac diagnosis

People with coeliac disease are waiting an average of 13 years to be diagnosed, a poll has revealed. The gut disorder is caused by gluten intolerance, and can lead to bone problems, infertility or bowel cancer. The charity Coeliac UK says some of the 800 patients surveyed reported seeing their GP almost 30 times before being diagnosed. But it says the condition can be easily detected by GPs using a quick and simple blood test.

8 May 2007
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