A SNAPSHOT of health in Bolton paints a gloomy picture.

The 2011 Health Profile for the town shows people are significantly worse off than the England average in several areas.

But there is some good news and NHS Bolton, the primary care trust which oversees local health services, says progress is being made.

Health chiefs have stressed that the problems are historic and it takes time to have an impact.

Both they and council bosses say they are working hard to make improvements.

The profiles have been produced by the English Public Health Observatories.

They aim to give a picture of health to help health services and councils focus their work.

The profiles show how areas are performing compared to what is typical across the country.

Health in Bolton is generally worse, deprivation is double, affecting 100,000 people, and more than 15,000 children, nearly a quarter, live in poverty.

Life expectancy for both sexes is lower, by 13 years for men and 10 years for women in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived neighbourhoods.

It also highlights the health of children, saying one in five 11-yearolds are obese and levels of teenage pregnancy and GCSE achievements are worse.

Less people eat healthily and more people smoke, with smoking related deaths and hospital stays for alcohol related harm higher.

On the plus side death rates, particularly for major killers like cancer, heart disease and stroke, and excess winter deaths are down.

Also the life expectancy gap has narrowed.

The PCT says progress is also being made around teenage pregnancy, smoking, obesity and exercise levels.

Debra Malone, consultant in public health at NHS Bolton, said: “Bolton’s levels of poverty and deprivation mean positive outcomes are more difficult and challenging to achieve.

“It is encouraging to see some positive progress.

“Key work programmes will continue to develop in collaboration with our partners, especially the local authority.”

The PCT says focus areas include reducing alcohol consumption, infant deaths and smoking in pregnancy plus encouraging breastfeeding.

A council spokesman said: “We are already working hard with our health partners to tackle the issues raised by the health profile.”