DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by The Government News Network on 24 June 2008
Wake-up call on
health inequalities
Health Profiles for every local authority and region across
England were published today by the Department of Health and the
Association of Public Health Observatories.
The Profiles use key health indicators to capture a picture of
the nation's health down to local level, providing areas
across England with valuable information to improve their
population's health. This year's data also includes new
information on child health inequalities.
People in England can expect to live longer and healthier lives,
but the health gap between the most affluent and most deprived
wards within each local authority remains unacceptable.
The Government recently announced its renewed commitment to
tackling the stark inequalities in England with the launch of its
Health Inequalities: Progress and Next Steps report. The document
sets out clear and achievable measures for the NHS and Local
Authorities to implement.
Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo said:
"Inequalities around the country are stark, but the NHS and
Local Authorities can use these profiles to target local health
hotspots with effective measures to make a real difference. We
recently renewed our commitment to tackling these issues with the
Health Inequalities: Progress and Next Steps report. I am
confident that we can confront the issues facing communities head
on and make health inequalities everyone's business."
Key national findings show that:
Deaths from smoking-related diseases continue to fall across
England, to 225 per 100,000 (aged 35+) in 2004-06 from 234 in 2003-05.
* The death rate from smoking in the local authority with the
lowest rate (139 per 100,000 in East Dorset) is less than half
that in the local authority with the highest death rate from
smoking (355 per 100,000 in Knowsley)
* In general, smoking is still causing a higher rate of death in
the north of England compared to the south.
Life expectancy from birth continues to improve across England
for both men and women, but there is still a wide variation across
the country.
* Men in the local authority with the highest life expectancy
(Kensington and Chelsea, 83.1 years) can expect to live 10 years
longer than those in the local authority with the lowest life
expectancy (Manchester, 73 years).
* Women in the local authority with the highest life expectancy
(Kensington and Chelsea, 87.2 years) can expect to live 9 years
longer than those in the local authority with the lowest life
expectancy (Liverpool, 78.3 years).
Several indicators of children's health presented in this
year's data for the first time show that:
Breastfeeding rates are at a national average of 69%:
* Lambeth knows that 'breast is best', with a rate of
91% of mothers who initiate breastfeeding. Knowsley come bottom
with a rate of 33%.
High quality PE and school sport amongst 5-16 year olds for at
least two hours per week reached 86%:
* Many more children in Malvern Hills get at least two hours of
high quality PE per week than those in Newcastle-under-Lyme (99%
compared to 63% respectively).
Obesity amongst reception year children averaged just under 10%:
* Teesdale had the lowest rate (5%) and Hackney had the highest (16%).
These profiles are intended to give the NHS, local authorities
and other partners an insight into the health of their residents,
to enable resources and initiatives to be better targeted
The Association of Public Health Observatories, with the DH, have
also published a companion "Health inequalities Intervention
tool", that enables every English local authority to model
the effect of four high impact interventions on their life
expectancy gap. The four interventions are: smoking cessation,
treating undiagnosed high blood pressure, statin prescribing to
reduce blood cholesterol and reducing infant mortality.
Notes to Editors
1. The Health Profiles are presented in a easy-to-read format,
comparing an area's health against the national average for
each indicator. They are all available online at http://www.healthprofiles.info
2. The Health Inequalities Intervention tool:
* was originally designed for Spearhead Areas and was first
launched in August 2007. Feedback was very positive with requests
for a similar tool for all areas. In response the Department of
Health commissioned the Association of Public Health Observatories
to develop this new national web-based modelling tool.
* is designed to help Primary Care Trusts, Practice-Based
Commissioners and local authorities to implement simple,
effective, evidence-based measures to affect the life expectancy
gap of their local populations. It can be used as part of a
comprehensive local strategy to reduce health inequalities.
* went live with the launch of the Health Inequalities: Progress
and Next Steps document and is available on the London Health
Observatory website: http://www.lho.org.uk/HEALTH_INEQUALITIES/Health_Inequalities_Tool.aspx