Society Daily 24.08.2010

Follow Society Guardian on Twitter Follow Patrick Butler on Twitter Sign up to Society Daily email briefing Today's top stories Avastin prolongs life but drug is too expensive for NHS patients, says Nice Calling drug users "junkies" hinders recovery, says study Be a better parent – and improve your child's mental health Loyal, public service merits more than this cold trashing, says Polly Toynbee Other stories • The head of the government's medicines advisory body has cast doubt on the growing use of complex pricing schemes that offer money-back guarantees or discounts to keep down the costs of expensive new drugs , reports the Financial Times. • Leading economists have questioned the Bank of England's nonchalance over the effect on the economy of huge cuts in public spending planned by the government, reports the FT. • A serious case review has cleared Northamptonshire Council of any failures in the case of an elderly couple suspected of freezing to death in their home in January, reports Community Care. • Social care charity Catholic Care is considering an appeal against the Charity Commission's decision to prevent it from changing its objects in order to stop gay people from using its adoption services , reports Third Sector. In tomorrow's Society supplement Mary O'Hara meets Mind champion of the year, outspoken psychologist Rachel Perkins. Faisal Rahman on the growth of payday loans. Erwin James on the Koestler offender arts exhibition in Endinburgh. Peter Hetherington on the government's demolition of house building. The UK Drugs Policy Commission on why we shouldn't call drug users "junkies". The professor studying the link between shame and poverty. London's new homeless tour guides. Events Driving efficiencies in public sector ICT , 30 September, London: a one-day conference for senior IT professionals to re-examine the way they work, cut costs and deliver vital efficiency savings. Public sector online , 4 October, London: a one-day conference examining how public sector professionals can engage with their audience to deliver services more effectively and strategically online. Society Guardian blogs Joe Public Sarah Boseley's global health blog Guardian awards Guardian Public Services awards 2010 Guardian charity awards 2010 Society Daily blog Society Daily blog editor: Patrick Butler Email the editor: [email protected] Society Guardian links SocietyGuardian.co.uk Public – the Guardian's website for senior public sector executives The Guardian's public and voluntary sector careers page Hundreds of public and voluntary sector jobs Society Guardian editor: Alison Benjamin Email the SocietyGuardian editor: [email protected]