British Medical Association chief demands action over health inequalities as North East among worst hit by coronavirus deaths

A health chief has called on the government to do more to tackle health inequalities in the North East after data revealed it is one of the worst areas hit by Covid-19.
File picture by Ben Birchall/PA WireFile picture by Ben Birchall/PA Wire
File picture by Ben Birchall/PA Wire

Official figures report that 1,187 people in the North East and North Yorkshire have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.

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It has also been reported that the North East has 270 cases per 100,000 people – a rate of infection that is higher than any other part of the country.

This week, the British Medical Association’s North East Regional Chair, Dr George Rae, penned an open letter calling for the government to tackle the “health divide” between parts of the North and more affluent regions in the South.

This was highlighted in the Black Report in 1980, the 2010 Marmot Review and the 2020 update to that review which showed life expectancy had fallen in some areas.

The open letter from Dr Rae reads: “The latest official figures report that 1,187 people in the North East and North Yorkshire have now died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, while 7,174 people in the North East region have tested positive for the virus as of Monday April 27.

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“As the local media concluded, that means we have 270 cases per 100,000 people here – a rate of infection that is higher than any other part of the country.

“This is gravely disconcerting. Not only does this mean that we’re suffering from a disproportionate amount of serious cases and deaths but also that, as a consequence, gradual lockdown measures may be affected – prolonging the hurt caused to our local economy.

“We need to start asking why this is happening as soon as possible, so that we can tackle the causes head on and prevent a repeat should we experience a second spike or another pandemic in the future.

“As with so many things, the answer is multifactorial in explanation and we should certainly take into account higher rates of testing in the North East.

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“However, we cannot ignore the significant role that health inequality plays – the preventable, unfair differences in health status between different parts of the UK population and which determine the risk of people getting ill and their ability to prevent sickness.”

The letter goes on to say: “The Marmot Review: 10 Years On (released in February this year) highlights the growing health inequalities across the UK.

“Life expectancy is lower in the North East than anywhere else in England, with some areas predicted life expectancy actually lower than reported ten years ago.

“Troublingly, our region also has the lowest employment rate for the UK while we are tied with the North West for the highest number of adults who are physically inactive.

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“Further to this, the Office for National Statistics has linked Covid-19 death rates to the affluency of an area.

“According to its figures, residents in deprived areas have experienced double the death rates of those in affluent areas (55.1 deaths per 100,000 people vs. 25.3 deaths per 100,000). This is a point of national shame.

“The truth is health issues in the North East are challenging and we are, on average, unfortunately less healthy than any other parts of England.

“This is not particularly new information. In fact, much of it was made apparent in the Black Report released forty years ago. What is concerning is how rapidly this health divide is growing.

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“Covid-19 has shone a light on the health inequalities in the North East.

“What we need now is action from the Government to close this gap and reduce the vulnerability of people in the North East to many medical conditions and, indeed, any future viruses.”

A Government spokesperson said: “Any death from this disease is a tragedy and we are working incredibly hard, day and night, to protect the nation’s public health.

“We have commissioned urgent work from Public Health England to understand the different factors that may influence the way someone is affected by this virus. We will set out full details in due course.

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“We are ensuring financial support for the poorest in society by increasing Universal Credit payments and speeding up the payment of Statutory Sick pay, as well as introducing the Coronavirus job retention scheme, the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, mortgage holidays and greater protection for renters.”

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