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Gary Taylor calls for new South and East Lincolnshire Healthy Living Board to deliver as frightening stats risk South Holland being coined a 'sick area'




Plans for a new health board are vital to ensure South Holland doesn’t become known as a ‘sick area’, according to a councillor.

The district council’s cabinet will discuss the development of a new South and East Lincolnshire Healthy Living Board next Tuesday.

This would involve a partnership with Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council focussing on tackling health inequalities.

Coun Gary Taylor (31335083)
Coun Gary Taylor (31335083)

Proposals come in the midst of alarming statistics being released for the area.

The Local Authority Health Profile 2019 shows that in South Holland, the mortality rate for all cardiovascular diseases has a value of 85.5 per 100,000 compared to a regional value of 73.5 and a national value of 71.7.

The percentage of people smoking during pregnancy is 14.4% compared to an England value of 10.6%. The percentage of physically active adults is 58.8% compared at a regional level of 65.7% and an England value of 66.3%.

These revelations come after the Spirit of 2012 charity found that up to 45% of all over 16s in the district are inactive - meaning they exercise less than 30 minutes a week - compared to 27.5% nationally.

Gary Taylor, district portfolio holder for communities and facilities, has previously voiced his support for plans for upgrades at the Castle Sports Complex in Spalding.

He now hopes the new Healthy Living Board can tackle existing issues before they deteriorate.

Coun Taylor said: “It needs to happen. We need to deal with this without wasting more time before the problem does become worse, because we do not want to be known as a sick area with all these issues and problems.

“We want to be known as a prosperous healthy area. We need to properly investigate the outcomes of this board - I would suggest six months or a year after it’s been established.

“It’s about delivering policies. Rather than talking about them and having the policies on the shelf, it’s about delivering on them and making a difference to those who are vulnerable residents.

“It’s very important. It needs to be near the top of our agenda, because people’s health and lifestyle and wellbeing means so much to them.”

Coun Taylor added that he doesn’t want South Holland to become a ‘nanny state’ over issues such as smoking, but does believe more needs to be done to encourage healthier lifestyles.

The Healthy Living Board aims to do this by examining factors such as socioeconomic status, neighbourhood and physical environment, education, employment and social support networks, and people’s access to health care.

It plans to meet four times a year and would be supported by an officer executive group that meets every six weeks.



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