Anti-Depressants Use Rising At Record Rate

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The use of anti-depressants is rising at a record rate as struggling patients seek help from their doctors.

In the past three years, the number of prescriptions has risen by close to 25%.

But there is growing concern that drugs are being handed over too readily to those who would be better helped with counselling.

Writer Julia Llewellyn Smith found life tough after the birth of her first child but was shocked to be instantly offered medication by a doctor.

"I said to her: 'I am not depressed, I'm just exhausted and having a bad time with a new baby'.

"She said: 'No you are depressed, I want to give you Prozac ... you will feel very better very soon,' and it really was a struggle to convince her that I didn't want, or in my opinion, need, anti-depressants."

Prescriptions have risen by nearly 25% in the last three years

Instead she went to group counselling and once the nights improved so did her mood.

But the former chair of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Clare Gerada, does not believe that everyday sadness is being unnecessarily medicalised.

Dr Gerada said: "I don't think my profession are giving out anti-depressants when they are not needed.

"But I think if there is a long waiting list for talking therapies, and there certainly is in the areas that I work, it may be that rather than see the patient get worse depression and risk their life, it may be the GP appropriately gives anti-depressants as a bridge."

Statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal that 53 million prescriptions for anti-depressants were handed out in England last year.

Julia Llewellyn Smith was offered anti-depressants by her doctor

And twice as many people take the drugs than a decade ago.

Caroline Ashrafi first sought help for depression when she was in her late teens.

For 30 years she has taken different tablets and has now been told she will need to take them for the rest of her life to stabilise her mood.

She said: "There is a stigma but I think when anti-depressants are prescribed in the right situation and with proper medical care, for me they have literally been a lifesaver."

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Stephen Sutton's Teen Cancer Appeal Tops £2.4m

A terminally-ill teenager has smashed all records on fundraising website JustGiving, as donations to his charity appeal surged past £2.4m.

Stephen Sutton originally set out to raise £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust but soon upped his target to £1m, as celebrities including Jason Manford, Stephen Fry and Russell Brand gave their support.

By Friday evening the 19-year-old had raised £2.4m, with nearly 100,000 people pledging their support.

Writing on his Facebook page, on which he published a bucket list of things he wants to do before he dies, Stephen said: "I've always been a firm believer that people are 'good' and to see people come together in the way they have is incredibly touching and heart-warming.

Donations to Stephen's JustGiving page have soared past £2.4m

"Thank you from me and thank you from every young cancer patient who will benefit invaluably from the money raised."

Stephen, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, said he was "feeling well" and was in a "stable" condition after his health worsened last weekend.

"The tumours in my body are still rife and dangerous, but I feel so lucky to just still be here," he added.

"In fact, I feel completely privileged to be in a position where I can help make such a difference to other people's lives."

Stephen, who was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer at the age of 15, has also released a 10-minute YouTube video called When Life Gives You Cancer, featuring interviews with his mum, his school teachers and his best friend.

Stephen (C) with friends and celebrities at a Teenage Cancer Trust event

His head teacher, Stewart Jones, said: "Stephen is the most amazing person I've ever met, let alone the most amazing student."

Tim Dowling, who runs the sixth form college at Stephen's school, added: "He's very special because he refuses to let his illness beat him or govern the rest of his life."

As donations continued to flood in, JustGiving itself donated £50,000 to Stephen's appeal.

The website stands to make more than £62,000 from the 5% fee it charges charities for online donations.

In a message posted alongside its donation, it wrote: "Stephen, we think you're amazing. It's been a privilege supporting your fundraising. You've now broken all records on JustGiving, so here's a special donation from us."

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Paedophile Abused Up To 60 Pupils at School

Child Predator: Husband And 'Popular Teacher'

Updated: 11:44am UK, Thursday 24 April 2014

The serial child predator at the centre of an FBI investigation had a wife and two adult children and was a popular teacher among his students, officials have said.

William James Vahey travelled the world for four decades before his suicide in a Minnesota motel last March.

While teaching, he also served as coach on various school sports teams.

The FBI said he was a "popular and highly respected teacher".

"He had access to children because of his position of trust," said FBI special agent Patrick Fransen.

"He created a system that gave him the opportunity and the means to molest children."

The FBI says he may have carried out child molestation on an unprecedented scale, often drugging his victims.

Vahey told investigators he suffered molestation as a child and went on to prey on boys.

The New York native graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, according to a resume cited by the FBI.

He received a master's degree in curriculum development from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.

At the time of his death, he was 64, approximately 6ft (182cm) tall, and weighed about 190 pounds (86kg).

He was teaching ninth-grade world history and geography at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua.

Vahey maintained two residences, one in London, where he had taught at an elite school, and another on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the FBI said.

In 1969, Vahey was arrested in California on six counts of child molestation.

He pled guilty to one count of child molestation and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years' probation.

The conviction required Vahey to register with California's sex offender registry for the rest of his life.

However, Vahey eluded that requirement.

Officials said he had not renewed his registration as a sex offender since 1970. He went on to pursue his teaching career in Nicaragua, the UK, Venezuela, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Iran, Spain, and Lebanon.

His victims are believed to be multinational as many of those schools were attended by the children of American diplomats or military personnel stationed overseas.

Vahey coached boys on middle school, varsity boys' basketball, softball, flag football, and soccer, among other things.

He also served as activities director, student council adviser, cooking club adviser and forensics adviser. 

He often accompanied students on cultural studies or sports trips, the FBI said.

Vahey killed himself two days after agents in Houston sought a warrant to search a computer thumb drive belonging to him.

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Health Atlas Reveals Patterns Of Illness

By Thomas Moore, Science and Health Correspondent

A new health "atlas" has for the first time revealed extraordinary patterns in disease across the country.

The series of high resolution maps covering England and Wales show striking variations in the risk of cancer and other diseases in different areas.

Lung cancer is far more common in the North West and North East of England than in mid-Wales and the South-West.

And Leukaemia rates are higher in rural areas, with pockets of cases across South Wales, Somerset and Dorset.

The online tool (www.envhealthatlas.co.uk), published by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College London, also maps air quality, levels of sunshine and pesticides, and chlorine by-products in the water supply.

Users can enter their postcode to assess the disease and environmental risks in their neighbourhood.

But researchers will also be able to investigate whether there are links between pollutants and health.

Dr Anna Hansell, lead author of the atlas, told Sky News: "Ideally if we could measure things on every single person in the country we would do that, but we can't.

"By getting to something closer to where people live and work then we hope to understand a bit more about their exposures and how that might relate to health."

The atlas also reveals that skin cancer is most common in the South West of England.

Yet it's the southeast that gets the most sunshine and researchers will now study whether other lifestyle factors may account for the higher risk in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

Most striking of all is liver cancer, with a dense cluster of cases across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Dr Martin Lambord, a consultant liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said it could be put down to higher alcohol intake, the prevalence of hepatitis or obesity, or a combination of all these things.

He said the maps could be useful for people to make them aware of the issues they face.

"For the current generation it's about 'could I be at risk of liver disease?'" he said. "Have I put myself at risk of liver disease? Should I see my doctor and have a test? 

"I think increasing awareness is important. Once patients are identified as having liver disease or diagnosed to have cirrhosis, it's very important to offer them early diagnosis for cancers.

"The other problem we find is it presents really late and only 5% of those cancers are curable."

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Mother Held As Three 'Disabled' Children Dead

A mother has been arrested on suspicion of murdering three young children at a house in southwest London.

Tania Clarence, 42, cared full-time for the three children, who are understood to have suffered from a life-limiting genetic condition.

Officers discovered the bodies when they were called to a large, semi-detached home in Thetford Road, New Malden, at around 9.30pm on Tuesday.

Sky sources say the three children - a four-year-old girl and two three-year-old boys - were disabled and had "life-limiting genetic conditions".

Gary Clarence and his sons, and their Victorian house in Thetford Road

Ms Clarence was initially taken to hospital with minor injuries and later discharged. She is in custody at a south London police station.

Chief Superintendent Glenn Tunstall told a news conference on Wednesday afternoon officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

He said specialist detectives are providing support to the family.

Sky's Joe Tidy, at the scene, said the couple moved into the house with their four children around six months ago.

They moved in after the £1.2m property was redeveloped with mobility equipment, including a lift.

Mr Clarence, a director at Investec Bank, and his eldest child were abroad, and are travelling back today.

Flowers and toys have been left outside the house

His company said in a statement: "Gary Clarence is a valued colleague and has worked with us for many years.

"We do not know the facts at this time but our thoughts are with the Clarence family.  We are doing all that we can to help Gary and his eldest child and ask that their privacy is respected."

Officers removed evidence bags from the property this morning. It is unclear whether the children's bodies are still inside the house.

Post-mortem examinations are to take place later.

Neighbour Michele Bacchus, 38, said two "very, very upset" women had asked to use her toilet last night, an hour after four police cars and an ambulance arrived.

Police are investigating the incident in New Malden

The women, one in her 30s and the other in her 50s, said they were relatives of the Clarence family and had come from Cobham, Surrey.

One had a South African accent and the other was too upset to speak, she said.

Another neighbour, retired nurse Joy Devis, 86, said she had been in the house "once or twice" and described the Clarences as a "delightful couple".

"They'd got every kind of equipment they could possibly get for those children," she told Sky News.

"One I never saw out of a wheelchair; she was in her buggy. The other two were moving about with difficulty."

She said the family had help from a nanny and a maid.

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Gym Fees 'Could Stop Mortgage Approvals'

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

Homebuyers could find themselves turned down for a mortgage because of their gym memberships, phone bills and pension payments, under new rules introduced this weekend, experts have warned.

Mortgage advisors said new restrictions introduced under the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) would drastically increase the intrusiveness of checks undergone by applicants.

The warning coincided with advice from economists, who claim the rules could dampen down activity in the housing market.

The new rules, part of a push to prevent lenders handing out loans to those unable to afford them, will stipulate banks and building societies must inspect customers' spending commitments to ensure they can keep up their monthly payments.

Those commitments might include items as innocuous as informal club memberships, according to Peter Marriott of Westexe Mortgage Solutions.

He said: "They might have a gym membership, they might be contributing to a pension plan - anything that's deemed by a mortgage lender to be a commitment could be held against them as an ongoing expense, which would in turn affect the affordability and the lender's decision on how much they can borrow."

The MMR changes will also mean lenders have to test whether homebuyers will be able to afford their mortgage payments if interest rates rise sharply, to 7% or above.

The Bank of England's Financial Policy Committee has recommended it should be able to change the suggested stress test rate in future, giving it an extra lever to influence house prices.

The changes come amid growing consternation about rising house prices.

According to the Office for National Statistics, house prices across the UK have increased by 9.1% in the past year.

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Curb Excessive Pay Or Face Action, Warns Cable

Barclays Pay Plans Receive Mixed City Verdict

Updated: 3:36pm UK, Tuesday 22 April 2014

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Barclays will this week suffer a sizeable City rebellion over its decision to hike bonuses last year while simultaneously receiving overwhelming shareholder backing for its future pay plans.

Sky News has learnt that more than 90% of investors who have cast their votes in advance of this week's annual meeting are supporting the bank's plans to pay up to twice the level of employees' salaries as bonuses under new European Union rules.

The scale of investor support for that resolution is important because it will be followed by votes at the AGMs of the other major UK banks in the coming weeks.

Insiders say that a similar result is expected on a resolution setting out Barclays' future executive pay policies, in what will represent the first major test of a binding vote introduced by Vince Cable, the Business Secretary.

At Barclays, the binding vote encompasses new role-based allowances being handed to hundreds of Barclays' top managers, in effect enabling them to be paid higher bonuses.

However, insiders said that roughly one-quarter of shareholder votes cast so far had opposed last year's directors' remuneration report, the ballot for which is non-binding.

Mr Cable has written to the remuneration committee chairs of FTSE 100 companies to warn them that there are "signs that some companies continue to consider pay awards which appear excessive in light of recent performance".

An aide to the Business Secretary said the timing of his letter was designed to coincide with the Barclays AGM.

Barclays has sought to appease restive investors by recruiting a new chairman for its board pay committee, replacing Sir John Sunderland.

One insider said on Tuesday that Sir John's re-election had also received comprehensive support, with Thursday's AGM expected to show that he had been backed by more than 90% of shareholders.

A number of institutional investors, including Fidelity, have criticised pay at Barclays in recent weeks after the bank increased its bonus pool by 10% to £2.4bn despite a slide in profits.

However, Richard Buxton, one of the City's top fund managers, who oversees billions of pounds at Old Mutual Global Investors and is a long-standing Barclays shareholder, told Sky News he was supportive of Antony Jenkins, the bank's chief executive.

"Our focus is on the progress being made to improve returns, notably within the investment bank," he said.

"We are confident that much more will be achieved here, which will feed through to lower costs and lower compensation over time, albeit in an uneven fashion."

He added that Barclays had made "significant progress on compensation" in 2012 but had had to "give a bit back last year" in a more competitive market. 

"I'm confident that after further work on costs this year, the three-year average 2012-2014 numbers will show material moves in the right direction. 

"The bank knows it has to improve the staff-to-shareholder reward ratio - but this is a multi-year journey."

Barclays, which will outline further cost-cutting plans at its investment bank on May 8, declined to comment ahead of its AGM.

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Blocking Breast Cancer Drug A 'Major Blow'

Moves to block a new breast cancer drug which extends women's lives by almost six months have been described as a "major blow".

Clinical trial results have shown that women on Kadcyla survived 30.9 months compared with 25.1 months on similar treatments.

However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said in its draft guidance the drug is not effective enough to justify the price the NHS is being asked to pay.

It is estimated that Kadcyla, manufactured by Roche, will cost around £90,000 per patient.

Sir Andrew Dillon, Nice chief executive, said: "We had hoped that Roche would have recognised the challenge the NHS faces in managing the adoption of expensive new treatments by reducing the cost of

Kadcyla to the NHS.

"We apply as much flexibility as we can in approving new treatments, but the reality is that given its price and what it offers to patients, it will displace more health benefit which the NHS could achieve in other ways, than it will offer to patients with breast cancer."

Professor Paul Ellis, consultant oncologist, at King's College, London and lead triallist for the drug in the UK, said: "Kadcyla represents a significant advance in HER2-positive breast cancer, so for Nice to issue negative preliminary guidance is a huge blow.

Jayson Dallas, general manager, Roche Products Limited, said: "Roche is extremely disappointed that Nice has failed to safeguard the interests of patients with this advanced stage of aggressive disease."

Kadcyla, which is only suitable for patients with the defective Her2 gene, is designed to penetrate cancer cells and destroy them from within and, because its action is so precise, a normally toxic form of chemotherapy can be used.

It is currently given to breast cancer patients who have failed on conventional treatment with Herceptin and chemotherapy.

The decision by Nice is now up for public consultation and during this time patients will be able to apply to their local NHS and to the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for the drug.

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Skin Cancer Rise Linked To Package Holidays

The rise of package holidays and sunbed use have been blamed for a five-fold increase in rates of the deadliest form of skin cancer since the 1970s.

Experts say the quest for a "healthy" tan has contributed to an increase in cases of malignant melanoma.

More than 13,000 people are now developing the disease each year compared about 1,800 in 1975, according to Cancer Research UK.

And the incidence rate has shot up from just over three per 100,000 of the population 40 years ago to around 17 per 100,000.

Malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK and more than 2,000 people die from the disease each year.

Sunburn is known to increase the risk of skin cancer, especially in people with pale skin or large numbers of moles or freckles.

Amanda Crosland had a cancer scare in 2001, despite covering up in the sun

Nick Ormiston-Smith, head of statistics at Cancer Research UK, said: "Since the mid-1970s, malignant melanoma incidence rates in the UK have increased more rapidly than any of today's 10 most common cancers.

"Holidays in hot climates have become more affordable and sunbeds are more widely available since the 1970s.

"But we know over-exposure to UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer.

"This means, in many cases, the disease can be prevented, and is why it's essential to get into good sun safety habits, whether at home or abroad.

Ms Crosland still bears a scar from her successful treatment

"The good news for those that are diagnosed, is that survival for the disease is amongst the highest for any cancer. More than eight in 10 people will now survive it."

Besides avoiding sunburn, other advice includes spending time in the shade, covering up and using a minimum factor 15 sunscreen.

Fair-skinned redhead Amanda Crosland, 43, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2001, despite covering up in the sun.

The mother-of-two from Leeds said: "When I noticed a new mole on my left calf, I knew it was safest to get it checked out by the doctor.

"Spotting it early meant I had a successful operation to remove the cancer before it spread.

"I've always been careful to look after my skin, but I do remember getting sunburnt as a girl.

"I still enjoy getting out in the sun, but now make sure the kids and I are properly protected with hats, T-shirts, and sunscreen, so we can enjoy the sun safely in the garden or at the beach."

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Leeds Firefighters Tackle Industrial Blaze

Firefighters are tackling a huge blaze at a building in Leeds used for storing chemicals that lit up the sky and sent plumes of smoke across the city.

Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs as the inferno engulfed the Tradepak industrial site in the early hours.

Fifteen fire engines were deployed as the flames spread to a neighbouring building.

Emergency services initially warned that there was a risk of toxic smoke due to to "potentially hazardous chemicals" on the site.

But they later said that residents in the city centre should keep windows and doors closed "as a precaution" until smoke from the fire clears.

West Yorkshire Police said: "Emergency services are currently attending a large-scale fire at Albion Way in Leeds. 

"Police were called at about 2.34am this morning to respond to the incident, which is taking place at a business on the site. A number of fire engines are currently attending."   

The Armley Gyratory road has been closed due to smoke from the fire.

More follows...

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Teen Thrown Around Ride Like A 'Rag Doll'

A teenager is recovering in hospital after falling 15ft from a fairground ride in Worthing, Sussex.

Beth Thorpe, 18, suffered bruises, head and neck injuries after slipping from the Rocker ride on Marine Parade on Thursday night.

A witness to the incident said Miss Thorpe was flung around like a "rag doll" during the ride before coming out of her seat.

Friend Faith Paine, 18, told The Argus newspaper: "Seconds after the ride started she was flung about like a rag doll and started foaming at the mouth, immediately I knew something was wrong.

"She then started to come out of her seat as her body turned to jelly and just slipped out. I was trying to scream stop and help, but it was too late.

"It was without a doubt the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life."

Miss Thorpe suffered cuts, grazes and bruising in the accident

The A Level student was later taken to the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton.

Her father, Robert Thorpe, said: "It was traumatic for her and it's traumatic for us, we are just happy she is recovering, I could have lost my child.

"She has got bruising, cuts and grazes all over her body.

"We do not know exactly what happened, we weren't there, we just got a phone call and all we know is that she was flung out of the ride and she blacked out."

A spokesperson from Worthing Borough Council said: "Following an accident on a fairground ride at Worthing seafront our thoughts are with the woman injured in the accident and her family.

"We wish her a full and speedy recovery. We are grateful to the emergency services who attended the scene promptly.

"The fairground ride operators and Worthing Borough Council will fully co-operate with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and relevant authorities into the investigation that will take place.

"In the meantime, the ride will remain closed until HSE clearance is received to reopen the ride. At the current time we are unable to confirm when the investigation will be completed."

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Teachers Warn Of 'Constant' CCTV Surveillance

Teachers say they are being subjected to constant surveillance by CCTV schools supposed to keep pupils safe.

A poll conducted by the NASUWT union has revealed 8% of 7,500 members questioned said classroom cameras record their lessons and their performance is being monitored by school leaders.

The survey comes as delegates attending the union's annual conference in Birmingham discuss a motion suggesting there is too much surveillance of teachers.

Teachers have complained the cameras are being used to judge performance

It says the monitoring is unreasonable, without justification, and adds little value to pupils' progress.

The motion adds: "Its impact is to stifle creativity in education, disempower teachers, put procedure before purpose and increase the workload of teachers."

One teacher said of their school: "CCTV has been used against staff to imply they are handling a situation incorrectly even though the CCTV has no sound."

Another said: "In my school it has been used specifically with newly qualified teachers that the senior leadership team think are not performing well."

Nearly 90% of teachers who have CCTV in their classroom say they cannot switch the cameras off and 40% claim the recordings are monitored by school leaders and the footage used to make judgments about staff performance.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "Teachers are already wrestling with excessive monitoring, masquerading as classroom observation, carried out by senior management and a host of other people regularly visiting their classrooms.

"The stories teachers recounted to us in the survey are a shocking catalogue of professional disrespect and unacceptable intrusion.

"No other professionals are subjected to such appalling treatment; no one should be subjected to the stress and pressure of being watched constantly. Lab rats have more professional privacy."

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