Dramatic cuts that could see more than 2,000 jobs go across health and social services cannot be avoided, the North's Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said today.

Liverpool Victoria bolstered its general insurance arm today with a £150m (€186.5m) takeover deal for the owner of insurance broker Hero.

The Royal College of Nursing and the Open University teamed up today to offer flexible training courses in the North which could help stop students running up debts while studying.

The smoking ban in the North’s pubs, restaurants and workplaces came into effect from midnight – three years after the rest of Ireland became the first European country to prohibit public smoking.

THUGS preying on NHS staff in the North carried out more than 5,000 attacks last year, it emerged yesterday.

HOSPITALS across Ireland are turning to Britain to fill vacancies ranging from directors of nursing to midwives and general nurses.

A LARGE British pub chain announced significant steps towards a ban on smoking yesterday.

Pop and film stars who opt for Caesarean births to ‘‘fit in with their schedules’’ are setting poor examples for young women, nurses said today.

Further doubts about the safety of the MMR vaccine have been raised after research said trials of the jab were inadquate.