MP's Commons health call
9:59pm Friday 6th July 2007 in Your Town By Jane Lavender
BOLTON'S poor health record has prompted MP Dr Brian Iddon to demand more funding for the borough.
Dr Iddon, who represents Bolton South-east, asked new Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, for more cash during a question and answer session in the House of Commons.
He said: "A recent report has shown that the health of my constituents is still well below the average of those living elsewhere.
"So whilst I wanted to welcome the new Health Secretary to his post I was also keen to take the opportunity of raising health inequalities with him so he is aware of the importance of the issue to the people of Bolton South-east and to put pressure on him to ensure that the funding remains available so improvements can be made."
A recent national survey reveals Bolton has one of the worst health records in the country, with residents in the borough have low levels of life-expectancy, combined with high levels of heart disease, drug use and alcohol abuse.
The figures show that Bolton has chronic problems with drug abuse, is in the top 10 per cent nationally for hospital admissions because of alcohol-related problems and is among the worst for early deaths from strokes and heart disease.
It also has high levels of people with mental health problems and diabetes remains a major issue, as does tooth decay among children.
Health bosses blame poverty for the state of the town's health, and predict its programme of improvements - many of which are already up and running - will not produce results for the next 10 years.
The biggest concerns are obesity and alcohol and a team of health professionals has been set up to work with overweight and obese youngsters.
Work is being carried out in Bolton's Asian population, who are at most risk of developing diabetes, and health trainers have been appointed, and more are being recruited to work with people most at risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart or lung disease, in Bolton's poorest neighbourhoods.
