Top GP: Loneliness can be as deadly as poor health

LONELINESS is as bad for health as chronic conditions such as diabetes or obesity, a medical chief will warn today.

Royal College of GPS chair Professor Helen Stokes-lampard is to say 1.1 million pensioners are more likely to develop heart disease, depression and dementia if they have no family or friends to visit them.

And she will tell how those living in social isolation are 50% more likely to die early.

Prof Stokes-lampard will say at the Royal College of GPS conference in Liverpool: “Social isolation and loneliness are akin to a chronic long-term condition in terms of the impact on patients.

“GPS see patients, many widowed, who have multiple health problems like diabetes, hypertension and depression but often their main problem isn’t medical… they’re lonely.”

And the professor will urge Theresa May to boost the number of GPS to help cope with the growing problem of loneliness.

She is to say: “Loneliness is not something that can be referred for hospital treatment. If nothing is done, loneliness will, inevitably, take its toll on the entire healthcare system.”