Public health plan identifies risks to Angus residents

A new report has laid bare the health risks associated with living and working in Dundee, Perthshire and Angus.

The Joint Public Health Protection Plan, compiled by director of public health Dr Drew Walker, is an action strategy for the next two years.

Dr Walker said the purpose of the plan is to ensure the board can cope with largescale health problems such as outbreaks of infection.

He said inequalities play an important role in the number of cases of infectious diseases and illness caused by environmental hazards.

Dr Walker added: “A decline in core health protection resources within any party to this plan could affect the overall capacity within Tayside to react effectively to incidents.”

Dundee appears to fare less favourably than other parts of the region.

The city has 55 zones considered to be in the 15% most deprived across the country — Perthshire has six comparable zones and Angus only three.

In addition, city residents as a whole have lower life expectancies than other regions in Tayside, and below the Scottish average.

Dr Walker also spelt out the unique health challenges each area offers, including geographical and economic factors which have long-term implications for the local population.

In Angus, established industrial infrastructure presents a number of health risks to residents, including the Montrose Harbour, onshore oil pipeline systems, storage of fertilisers and the Wastewater Treatment Works at Hatton.

Health chiefs plan to implement policies to improve health prospects across all of Tayside over the next two years.