Twenty Kingston social workers will be given extra training to qualify as 'best interest assessors', meaning they will make sure people in care who have impaired mental capacity are safe.

Kingston Council has been handed a £61,000 grant by the Department of Health to fund the training, plus an interim worker to carry out assessments.

But a Department of Health consultation into cuts to public health services is due to end on Friday.

Kingston could lose some £650,000 of its budget, used for promoting sexual health, preventing suicide and combatting smoking and obesity.

Kingston Healthwatch said they were "very concerned" by the Government's proposals.