CITY HEALTH NEEDS URGENT TREATMENT

Medical chief’s prescription to prevent looming crisis

MAJOR changes are needed if Liverpool is to avoid a huge physical and mental health crisis in the coming years.

Liverpool’s Director of Public Health says only a radical overhaul of the way the city responds to health challenges can avoid shorter lives and longer periods of ill health for its residents.

An 80-page report – State of Health in the City – compiled by Professor Matt Ashton, pictured, warns that unless changes are made:

Many residents could spend more than a quarter of their life in ill health.

Life expectancy for women would fall by a year.

The number of adults experiencing depression could more than double over the coming decade.

Liverpool is currently the third most deprived local authority in England, with 63% of residents living in areas ranked among the most deprived in England, and three out of 10 children living in poverty.

Residents are living longer than previously, but progress has stalled over the last decade.

Life expectancy at birth varies by up to 15 years between those in the poorest and most affluent areas of the city, and those in the most deprived areas live 18 more years in poor health.

The report predicts that the overall number of health conditions will rise by 54% to 546,600 – with the biggest increase being seen in the number of people diagnosed with depression, which is set to more than double – affecting 164,200 people. The number of people with major illness will be seven times the increase in the working age population, hitting government income from taxes as people are unable to work.

The key health issues facing children and young people will be mental health, obesity and poverty.

Professor Ashton said: “The findings are a stark and clear call for urgent action, not just by public bodies such as health services and the local authority, but for all those who have an interest in the current and future prosperity of the city.

“Poor physical and mental health shortens lives lived in good health and impacts not just on individuals but on those around them, such as other family members and the wider community.

“It is demonstrated to have a major detrimental impact on the economy through reduced productivity and increased demand for public services, and is a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.”