Prime time to cut needless loss of lives

One of the top priorities for the city’s director of public health is working out why people in some parts of the city are dying younger than those in other areas and what needs to be done to stop that happening.

Dr Scanlon said: “Most people are familiar with improving life expectancy and falling mortality rates.

“We have come a long way in the last 100 years.

“However, whilst mortality rates are falling in all social groups, they are falling at a faster rate among the better off and so health inequalities are in fact widening.

“The latest analysis shows that men in particular in Brighton and Hove have some way to go.”

The most common causes of death in the city are heart disease and cancer but there are other contributory issues including mental health, alcohol, drug abuse and accidents.

The national shake-up of the NHS means local doctors will be having a greater say on what health services are provided in the city and where.

Dr Scanlon believes the time has never been more right for GPs to work even more closely with the council, the hospital and other NHS services and make some significant progress.

Direct impact He said: “Things are changing now and although organisations have always been working together in the past, we now have an opportunity to make a real difference.

Dr Scanlon said it was important to continue with health promotion work like encouraging people to drink sensibly, stop smoking and exercise well, these were changes that would take time to show any results.

However there were things that could be done that could have a more immediate and direct impact.

Dr Scanlon said: “An area we could be focusing on is making sure people don’t slip through the net when it comes to things like getting blood pressure tests, going for a smear test or managing their cholesterol.

“Sometimes patients are sent letters by their GP practices inviting them for tests but may ignore them for various reasons.

“It is the people who are less likely to respond to invitations who we need to target and so it may mean finding other ways to get to them.”

Methods could include going into the workplaces to speak to people and offer advice and recruiting more people with long- term health problems such as diabetes or MS, who can offer help and support to people with similar conditions.

Another option is to use technology more and contact patients through texts and emails and a growing number of practices are now taking this approach.

Dr Scanlon said: “It can sometimes be difficult for practices to get new technology systems |up and running but in the long term, it could make a lot of difference.”

Another important area is the early detection of cancers, a subject where the city needs to get better at and ensure patients are referred as quickly as possible for specialist help.

Recent campaigns to raise awareness of bowel cancer and lung cancer run in partnership with Albion in the Community worked well, and can help reach wide parts of the community.

But it is not just down to GPs and the NHS.

People’s health can also depend on where they live, the condition of their homes and whether they stay in full-time education after 16.

There are signs that things are improving.

Teenage pregnancy rates are down and there are early indications that the drive to cut child obesity is beginning to have an effect.

Schemes like free swimming for children and the Mend healthy living programmes are helping and Dr Scanlon believes the £1m being spent each year on tackling obesity is being used to good effect.

But on the other hand, the city still has high numbers of people being admitted to hospital for alcohol-related health problems and dying from liver disease.

Dr Scanlon believes this is why people’s health is a city-wide concern and why work needs to continue in all areas.

He said: “Alcohol and its impact is still a huge issue for the city. We have to take into account that it does help bring in £329m a year into the city’s economy but at the same time we still need to take the time to encourage people to drink more responsibly.

“I think moves such as introducing a minimum price for alcohol could really help to make a difference.”

Dr Scanlon said there was plenty of good work being done to help people across the city stay healthy but there was still a long way to go.

He said: “We are in the process of experiencing a lot of change but by working closely together we can make a real difference.”