Report shows work needed to address deprivation and ill health in the city the day after closing pools in these area

A report into the current and future health needs of city residents has been jointly produced by two authorities.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council and NHS Stoke on Trent have compiled a 300-page assessment to analyse the city’s population, ethnicity and deprivation levels, as well as education, employment, housing and health needs.

The report has been compiled following work with a wide range of public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations which work to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

The report shows:
• That in the next five years, there will be a 24 per cent increase (3,000 people) in the number of 5-9 year olds in the city; and a 29 per cent increase (3,000 people) in the number of 65-74 year olds.
• That black and minority ethnic groups make up seven per cent of the population, with many living in deprived communities.
• That the city is the 16th most deprived in England, and ranked seventh nationally for educational deprivation.
• That 48 per cent of young people achieved five or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including Maths and English, as opposed to 54.9 per cent nationally.
• That 17.7 per cent of the adult population has no formal qualifications.
• That average personal incomes are 30 per cent lower in the city than the national average.
• That 75 per cent of pensioners living in private sector housing live in fuel poverty.
• That life expectancy for males is 75.4 years (national average 77.9 years) and for females is 79.8 years (national average 82 years).
• That circulatory disease, cancer and respiratory disease make up 75 per cent of all deaths in the city.
• That around 31 per cent of adults smoke (national average 24 per cent) and that smoking causes 40 per cent of all male deaths and 25 per cent of all female deaths.
• That 73 per cent of people drink alcohol regularly.
• That over 30,000 people each year experience common mental health problems – depression, anxiety or phobias.
• That around 3,000 people suffer some level of dementia.

The report goes on to show work taking place to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

It shows that:
• The number of deaths from circulatory disease has more than halved in the last 10 years – from around 1,600 in 1995-7 to 700 in 2006-8.
• The rate of teenage pregnancies is reducing – 61 conceptions per 1,000 population in 2008 compared to 68.5 per 1,000 in 1998.
• The percentage of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training continues to fall – from 16 per cent in 2006/7 to 10 per cent in 2009/10.
• That the city is performing well with programmes to contain Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The report goes on to say that cancer prevention and early diagnosis should be given a high priority, and that continued priority should be given to bowel cancer screening.

Councillor Hazel Lyth, cabinet member for adult social care, sport, leisure and culture, said: “This information is vital in providing the evidence needed to formulate strategic priorities and solutions for services to improve health and wellbeing of residents and reduce inequalities.

“We know that the city faces many challenges, and this document baldly shows just how tough those challenges are. But it also shows the good work being done, and the extent of the work needed to help improve the quality of life for residents in the future.

“We and our partners are committed to doing everything we can to drive up health standards, but residents need to be committed to helping themselves too.”

Acting Director of Public Health Dr Zafar Iqbal said: “Poor health in the city is linked to the issue of deprivation and the situations that occur because of it. Improvements are being made but whilst NHS Stoke on Trent and our social care colleagues can work to address some of the symptoms of deprivation, to tackle health inequalities further we really need to see a push for other sectors of the community working together to do more.

“Vulnerable children are at greater risk of not being healthy in Stoke-on-Trent so to give them the best start in life we really need to carry on with a combined model of midwifery, health visiting and early years service which has a real positive impact on child development, as well as schemes like the Family Nurse Partnership. Programmes to reduce smoking and obesity also need to continue as a major priority and although rates have improved we will need to do more to tackle teenage and unwanted pregnancies by targeting vulnerable groups.”