Sunak to cite Britain’s ‘sicknote culture’ in bid to overhaul fit note system pred 13 urami in 11 minutami Prime minister to express concern about ‘over-medicalising’ normal worries with diagnoses as mental health conditionsRishi Sunak will today claim Britain is suffering from a “sicknote culture”, as he warns there is a risk of “over-medicalising” normal worries by diagnosing them as mental health conditions.In a speech on how to reduce people being signed off sick from work, the prime minister will say the government is planning to trial getting “work and health professionals” to issue fit notes, shifting away from GPs carrying out this role. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Quarter of UK’s three- and four-year-olds own a smartphone, data shows pred 13 urami in 11 minutami Campaigners express concern at new Ofcom figures, which also show that half of under-13s are on social mediaA quarter of three- and four-year-olds in the UK now own a smartphone, while half of children under 13 are on social media, according to new data that comes as ministers consider banning all children under 16 from owning a mobile phone.The figures, from the communications regulator Ofcom, show high and rising rates of online activity by children of infant-school age, with 38% of five- to seven-year-olds using social media, compared with 30% a year ago, and 76% of them using a tablet. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
English primary schools cutting teacher numbers amid budget pressure, survey finds pred 13 urami in 12 minutami Rising inflation and falling pupil numbers also forcing schools to cut spending on extracurricular activitiesPrimary schools across England are having to shed staff and cancel trips and activities this year as rising inflation and falling pupil numbers cause a rapid deterioration in their finances.A survey of more than 1,000 school leaders and teachers by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that three-quarters said their primary schools were cutting teaching assistant roles, while a third were also cutting teacher numbers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Standing in the shadows of giants: 1,475 statues fill the landscape beside D-Day memorial overlooking France's Gold Beach to honour each of the servicemen who fell during heroic mission