East Riding Excess Deaths Remain High

Sunday, 16 October 2022 07:00

By Matthew Pells with additional reporting from Joe Gerrard, Local Democracy Reporter

The number of deaths recorded in the East Riding of Yorkshire increased during the COVID pandemic but now experts are saying the numbers aren't going back down to previous levels.

The number of excess deaths in the East Riding of Yorkshire remains above average.

Then figures increased during the COVID pandemic, and Public Health Specialist - Shane Mullan - says the latest data shows they numbers have not gone back down to their previous levels.

The latest excess death figures show that while there has been some improvement this year, the number of deaths remains above pre-pandemic levels.

Public Health Specialist, Shane Mullan, says there hasn't been the usual drop off in the excess death rate over the summer.

The figures were presented in a report to the East Riding Councils Health and Wellbeing Board.

The board also heard how people are more likely to die from preventable illnesses and lung, heart and circulatory diseases in Bridlington South of anywhere in the East Riding.

The report shows Bridlington South had an overall mortality rate of 144.3 compared to the English baseline of 100, the highest in the area.

Bridlington South also had the highest rate of hospital admissions for emergencies including heart attacks and strokes, as well as alcohol-related conditions.

Figures in the report showed Bridlington South scored highest in the East Riding on the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), 46.4 compared to 18.7 in the north of the town.

The IMD grades areas based on measures including the quality of health services, housing and education, with the East Riding scoring 15.6 and England 21.7.

Bridlington South has the highest rates of children and older people in poverty, fuel poverty, overcrowding in housing and unemployment in the East Riding.

It also had the highest rate of emergency hospital admissions for intentional self-harm, 207.5 from 2016 to 2021, more than double the national standardised admission ratio.

Bridlington South had the highest percentage of people with a limiting long-term illness or disability, 28.6 per cent compared to the East Riding’s 19.1 and England’s 17.6.

The area had the lowest life expectancy for both men and women, 73.6 and 80.4 respectively.

Men lived to an average of 80 and women to 83.2 in the East Riding, according to the report’s figures from the Office for Health and Improvements and Disparities.