Health

In the last twelve months a great deal of progress has been made as part of Investing in Your Health¹ - the ten year strategy to invest in and reorganise health services in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire:

Clinicenta (a joint venture between two companies with national and international experience in health) is the preferred bidder for two local 'surgicentres' designed to cut waiting times for planned surgery.
A new post-graduate medical school and the new £8.5m Hertford County Hospital have opened, and the £1.2m redevelopment of Potters Bar Community Hospital was finished. A £2.4m redevelopment of Cheshunt Hospital is in progress.
In 2005 a consultation on the future of mental health services was undertaken.
Good progress has been made towards building the new hospital in Hatfield (Arlington Business Park is the preferred site) and redeveloping Watford General Hospital and the surrounding area.

The Department of Health's 'Saving Lives, Our Healthier Nation' White Paper (1999) developed strategies to improve the general health and wellbeing of the population, including tackling health inequalities as a top priority area. Progress is monitored by the following outcomes:

Circulatory disease mortality in the under 75s
Cancer mortality in the under 75s
Accident mortality in all ages
Mortality from suicide and injury undetermined in all ages
Deaths in children aged under a year old and
Life expectancy at birth.

The following indicators update the 2004 report including charts showing variation in the selected health outcomes in the districts of Hertfordshire and in comparison with that of England.²

Indicator HE1 - Life Expectancy (LE)

Overall, women are expected to live longer than men. With the exception of Watford and Stevenage, Hertfordshire life expectancy rates are higher than the national average.

Hertfordshire districts: Average life expectancy at birth 2002-2004

Source: ONS Compendium of clinical and health indicators - download and view this data in excel

Indicator HE2 - Mortality in children under one

In Hertfordshire, Watford (5.9 deaths/1000 live births) and Stevenage (6.0 deaths/1000 live births) have higher infant death rates than the England average.

Hertfordshire districts: Mortality in children aged under one year old 2002-2004

Source: ONS Compendium of clinical and health indicators - download and view this data in excel

Indicator HE3 - Circulatory disease in the under 75s

Coronary heart disease is the most common of all deaths from circulatory disease. Death rate in men is about four times higher than in women with rates highest in Watford (86.1/100,000) and Broxbourne (84.3/100,000). For women, the highest rates were in Watford and Stevenage.

Hertfordshire districts: Mortality from coronary heart disease. Directly standardised rates, under 75s, 2002-2004

Source: ONS Compendium of clinical and health indicators - download and view this data in excel

Indicator HE4 - Cancer mortality in under 75s

There is variation in cancer mortality in both genders across the county. Male deaths in Hertsmere, Three Rivers, Watford and Broxbourne were higher than England rates. Female deaths in Stevenage (133.6/100,000) were significantly higher than the England rates.

Hertfordshire districts: Mortality from all cancers. Directly standardised rates, under 75s, 2002-2004

Source: ONS Compendium of clinical and health indicators - download and view this data in excel

Indicator HE5 - Mortality from accidents

Accidents are more common in children and the elderly. We have focused on the over 75's because they have highest risk of death from accidents. Deaths were significantly highest in women living in Stevenage (257.2/100,000).

Hertfordshire districts: Mortality from accidents. Directly standardised rates, aged 75+, 2002-2004

Source: ONS Compendium of clinical and health indicators - download and view this data in excel

HE6 - Suicide and undetermined injury

Suicide was more common in men than women. The highest rates were in men living in Stevenage (19.1/100,000).

'Choosing Health' the Government's Public Health White Paper was published in November 2004 following an extensive consultation. It set out how the Government are to make it easier for people to make healthier choices by offering practical help to adopt healthier lifestyles. The following priorities are highlighted for delivery:

Tackling health inequalities
Reducing the number of people who smoke
Reducing obesity and improving diet and nutrition
Increasing physical activity
Improving sexual health
Improving mental health and well-being
Reducing harm and encouraging sensible drinking

The NHS is responsible for taking forward the health improvement agenda but it can only do this effectively through partnerships with key stakeholders. Primary Care Trusts working in close partnership with local authorities are crucial to the delivery of 'Choosing Health'.

1.See www.investinginyourhealth.org.uk for more information

2.The whisker shows the 95% confidence intervals which is an indication of the imprecision in our estimates. - significant differences may be seen where the confidence intervals are lower or above the rate for England.