Herefordshire people generally enjoy better health than the average for the rest of the country - and can expect to live longer than average too.
According to new health profiles issued by the government, death rates from all causes have fallen in the county over the last ten years, together with instances of early death from heart disease and stroke or cancer.
Very few areas of Herefordshire fall into the most deprived 20 per cent of areas in England and none fall into the least deprived 20 per cent either.
However, rates of road injuries and deaths are higher than the England average; the estimated proportion of adults who are obese is higher; and levels of tooth decay in five-year-old children are higher than the average too.
Rates of death from smoking-related causes are lower than average as is the estimated proportion of adults who smoke.
Herefordshire Primary Care Trust and Herefordshire Council are working with a range of partners to challenge the links between high social deprivation and poor health with a particular emphasis on services for children, promoting healthy lifestyles and packages of care for older people.
Said Dr Akeem Ali, Herefordshire’s director for public health: “The health profile for Herefordshire is largely positive and adds to the high quality of life that local people generally enjoy in the county. However, the primary care trust and the council are working more closely than ever before, with a new range of integrated strategies, to address health inequalities”.
The government has issued health profiles for every local authority and region across England to capture a picture of the nation’s health down to local level. The information is intended to give the NHS, local authorities and other partners an insight into the health of their residents, and to help them target resources and initiatives.