Health in Northampton lower than rest of country
Health bosses have said a damning new health profile of Northampton is mainly influenced by people's 'lifestyle choices' rather than a lack of NHS intervention.
The Department of Health's Health Profiles 2009 published yesterday declared the health of people in Northampton was generally lower than the average for the rest of England.
The profiles also found that men from the least-deprived areas of the town could expect to live more than seven years longer than those in the most deprived areas.
Levels of violent crime, drug misuse and people suffering diabetes also appeared to be 'significantly worse' than the national average.
And the figures showed the town itself was below the England average for:
Early death from cancer, although this was improving;
Children's health.
Levels of smoking in pregnancy,
Breast feeding initiation
Teenage pregnancies.
The report's authors also estimated the prevalence of smoking in adults in Northampton was higher than the England average.
NHS Northamptonshire acknowledged that the statistics for Northampton looked bad but pointed to better-than-average health statistics for the county as a whole, mainly lifted by the population in South Northamptonshire.
Dr Stephen Horsley, NHS Northamptonshire's Director of Health, said: "This snapshot also mentions that the health of people generally in the county is better than average, with levels of deprivation, drug misuse, alcohol-related harm and diabetes better than average.
"However, we do recognise that there are areas which are better and worse, as with any county.
"The report holds no surprises for our health professionals.
"Working with other public sector partners and the voluntary sector, we plan to tackle all of the issues mentioned."
He added: "We can work with people but, at the end of the day, it is down to their own lifestyle choices."
However the report was not completely bad news.
Over the last 10 years, rates of death from all causes and early deaths from heart disease and stroke have improved and are now close to the England average.
And the percentage of physically active children is higher than the average for England.
Northampton North's Labour MP Sally Keeble singled out teenage pregnancy as one of the key issues.
She said: "I can see how NHS Northamptonshire might not want to tell people how to live their lives
"But I think health professionals, looking at some of these statistics that are being highlighted as worse than the national average, will feel a sense of failure.
"I think how some services are provided in Northampton needs to be looked at very carefully."
No-one from Northamptonshire Police was available for comment about violent crime rates yesterday.
n All health profiles can be viewed at www.apho.org.uk/default.aspx?QN=P_HEALTH_PROFILES
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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