The research which is also published by the Department of Health today in a report called Safer Services has found

The research, which is also published by the Department of Health today in a report called Safer Services, has found that many mentally ill patients who commit homicide or suicide had not continued with their medication and had lost contact with healthcare services. The findings were based on a two-year sample of suicides and an 18-month sample of homicides committed by people with a history of contact with mental health services in England and Wales.Although nearly 60 per cent of people who committed homicide were mentally ill, they were more likely to be dependent on alcohol or drugs than suffering a severe mental illness. Nearly three-quarters had lost contact with support services at the time of the offence and they were most likely to kill a family member or spouse rather than a stranger."The findings for homicide contradict what many people believe about community care," said Professor Louis Appleby, director of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, based at the University of Manchester, who conducted the research. "Most people with a mental disorder who committed homicide did not have the kind of severe illnesses such as schizophrenia, but were dependent on alcohol or drugs."A health strategy to prevent homicide would be to combine mental health and drug and alcohol abuse services," he said.The researchers found that out of 10,000 suicides over a period of two years, 24 per cent had been in contact with mental health services in the year before their death."We are very concerned about the high risk of suicide among patients who are discharged from hospital because they appear to have made a reasonable recovery," said Professor Appleby. "There is a cluster of suicides in the first three months, but most worryingly these people are more likely to commit suicide in the week after being discharged from hospital. The results tell us that many suicides, although unfortunately not all of them, could be prevented."The researchers have made 31 recommendations for improving mental healthcare, including setting up a closer link between hospitals and community care services so that high-risk patients can be followed up within 48 hours of leaving hospital, introducing patient "passports" to ensure that information about a patient is transferred between services, and specialist suicide and violence training for all staff in contact with patients at risk.The recommendations were welcomed by John Hutton, the government minister responsible for mental health.

"We are carrying out a root-and-branch review of mental health legislation, and developing a National Service Framework for mental health to be published shortly," he said.. A 65-YEAR-OLD man is suing Age Concern, the charity for elderly people, because he claims it forced him out of his job for being too old. Bernard Oliver, from Blackley in Manchester, had worked as a driver for the charity full-time for over four years when his employers cut his hours to two and half days a week. He alleges that officials thought he should be putting his feet up and relaxing because of his age.Mr Oliver had managed a shop and worked as a driver for the charity, taking home pounds 540 a month. He resigned when he was ordered to share his job with a volunteer, and now plans to take the organisation to an industrial tribunal claiming constructive dismissal."I am not too old and I certainly don't feel it and I am not ready for retiring.

It all boils down to discrimination, age discrimination," said Mr Oliver."I'm fit and healthy and there is no reason why I can't carry on doing the job that I have loved for four years."Mr Oliver, who spent 10 years working as a carer at a psychiatric hospital before moving to Age Concern, said: "I felt terrible when they sat me down and said I was too old to do the driving job because I was over 65. They said I could still do voluntary work for them but it felt like an insult after the years I had spent working for them."Now I'm left with my P60 after all the years I devoted to them, and have just my pension to live on."Margaret Burford, assistant director for Age Concern said: "Retirement for employees has to be taken at 65 but people can stay on with the approval of charity's trustees. Mr Oliver resigned after being offered the two- and-a-half days a week work option It was, however, the only post available to him.". NEWLY QUALIFIED teachers who fail to meet new national standards after a year will be sacked within 10 days and effectively barred for life from working in English state schools. New teachers will be inspected in the classroom every six weeks as part of an "induction year" for staff which comes into force today. Teachers will have their performance reviewed by senior staff every half term and face formal appraisals by headteachers every term.

The assessments will include written reports about classroom skills and measures of exam performance, according to guidelines published yesterday. Teachers who fail cannot repeat their induction year, and so cannot be registered as a state school teacher, although trainees will have a right of appeal against the decision.Estelle Morris, the Education minister, said: "By giving new teachers the support and time to develop their skills we will raise the standards of those entering the profession. I expect most teachers to complete the induction period successfully but those who do not will not be eligible to teach in our schools."The 12-month induction replaces the "probationary year", abolished in 1991. At present there is no formal assistance for staff after training college.All new teachers will have an experienced teacher to act as a tutor and will be given about three hours a week for on-the-job training. Failing schools will need permission to take on newly qualified staff.Nigel de Gruchy, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, welcomed the new measures, but said it was unfair to judge teachers by exam results so early in their career..