Coastal Communities Targeted in Health Drive to Tackle Deprivation and Heart Disease

A series of targeted health projects focusing on coastal communities, particularly Scarborough and Whitby, are underway as part of a coordinated, county-wide strategy to address significant health inequalities, according to North Yorkshire Council’s Annual public health report.

While North Yorkshire is generally considered an affluent and healthy area, this masks “significant variation in health outcomes and deprivation across its communities”. The latest annual report by Director of Public Health, Louise Wallace, highlights that Scarborough remains the most deprived area overall. Pockets of significant deprivation also affect parts of Whitby—specifically the Whitby Streonshalh and Whitby West wards. Residents in these communities face challenges including lower incomes, poorer housing conditions, and increased social isolation.

The council says its new approach to tacking public health issues, underpinned by the "Team North Yorkshire" spirit that emerged during the pandemic, is driving collaborative efforts between the council, NHS, and police.

Tackling Heart Health and Lifestyle Risks

One major area of focus on the Yorkshire Coast is cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is a significant contributor to the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived areas.

The coastal areas of North Yorkshire were prioritised for a pilot workplace-based Heart Health Check programme because they are “among the most deprived in North Yorkshire and nationally”. This pilot, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), assessed employees’ 10-year risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Of the 904 checks that have been delivered, including 664 for the council’s own workforce, 123 people, or 13.8 per cent, had a one in 10 chance of developing CVD during the next decade. This means that the risk is significant enough to warrant preventive action such as lifestyle changes or medication. 

Early feedback from participants has been promising. For example, one employer reported that staff referred to their GP for high blood pressure are now receiving treatment - interventions that may not have occurred without the check. 

The council is now planning to continue to work with local businesses, the voluntary sector and regional organisations to reach those most at risk, embedding health checks into routine practice for employees. 

To reach non-council workforces, the checks were delivered in Scarborough by the YOURhealth service (Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust) due to the high deprivation levels in the area. Clinics were also delivered in council offices in Scarborough.

Further efforts to combat health inequalities related to CVD included a specific project during Know Your Numbers Week 2024. An event was held at the Scarborough Sports Village, at a home fixture with Scarborough Athletic FC, to raise blood pressure awareness. Of the 31 people who had their blood pressure checked, 42 per cent had high readings and were advised to seek follow-up care. Targeted work is also underway in Scarborough to help reduce inequalities in access to screening and vaccinations.

Addressing Teenage Pregnancy

Another crucial area of intervention is teenage pregnancy in Scarborough, where the rate remains significantly higher than the national average. In 2021, the under-18 conception rate per 1,000 in Scarborough was 19.7, compared to the England rate of 13.1.

In response, a multi-agency Scarborough teenage pregnancy taskforce was created, chaired by the Public Health team, with the twin aims of reducing rates and empowering pregnant teenagers and young parents to achieve good health.

Actions taken during the year include:

• Securing funding from the Humber North Yorkshire ICB Health Inequalities Fund to recruit a Public Health Practitioner to accelerate progress.
• Developing a young parent advisory board of 12 young parents in Scarborough who meet monthly to shape the work.
• Creating a champions scheme where professionals from frontline council and NHS teams work with the advisory board to ensure services better support young parents.

This initiative is backed by research from the University of York into the experiences of young parents in Scarborough. 

Looking ahead, the taskforce plans to influence NHS organisations, focusing on maternity, early pregnancy assessment unit, and emergency departments in Scarborough, to better support young parents.

In her annual report, the council’s director of public health, Louise Wallace, pointed towards the firm foundations that were built during the Covid-19 pandemic which have helped develop the work of the council. She said:

“The power of partnerships was particularly evident during the acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic when all agencies and communities had to work together to support each other during a very difficult time. 

“The phrase ‘Team North Yorkshire’ was often used to sum up the collective effort to mitigate against the worst consequences of the pandemic. The Team North Yorkshire spirit has continued and is at the centre of North Yorkshire Council’s ethos.” 

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for health and adult services, Cllr Michael Harrison, said:

“Our work in public health is paying real dividends and helping to improve the lives of people across the county. 

“There is more work that needs to be done in conjunction with our partners to deliver real benefits for public health. Working even closer with local communities, the voluntary and community sector, the NHS and other public sector organisations, there needs to be a shift of resources to increase the focus on prevention.

“We are committed to ensuring every child gets the best start in life and that North Yorkshire is a great place to live well and age well with the public’s health at the forefront of that agenda.”