Council's Public Health Director reveals Bridlington health inequalities are 'growing, they’re large and they’re serious'

At a Bridlington Health Forum Meeting held at the North Library, Mr Andy Kingdom presented findings showing that the town is doing the worst in the county across a number of health related categories.

Compared to other electoral wards across the East Riding, Bridlington South had the lowest life expectancy for men and women. Life expectancy for women in Bridlington South is at 79.9 years, which is seven years less than the highest in East Riding.

The life expectancy for males in Bridlington South is at 72.9 years, almost a decade less than the highest in the region. Nationally, men who die before they turn 75 are classed as dying prematurely.

Bridlington South has ranked as the most materially deprived, with the highest unemployment rate and the lowest household income.

A quarter of Bridlington residents, including the South, Central and North wards, suffer from a long term health condition.

Two out of five households in Bridlington South do not have a car, which impacts people’s access to health services.

Half of households with at least one person with a disability in the ward do not have a car, however two-thirds of Bridlington patients have to go to outpatient appointments that are outside the town.

According to the council's findings, the average time taken on public transport to attend an outpatient appointment from West Hill, Bridlington South, is over two hours each way.

A spokesperson for the Bridlington Health Forum said “We have been flagging our growing concerns for several years. We knew it was getting worse, however we did not realise until Andy Kingdom’s presentation how far it had moved in the wrong direction.”

Mr Kingdom said: “A combination of these factors means that the inequalities in Bridlington are in fact the highest in the East Riding by far, in fact they are probably one of the highest in the entire catchment area of Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.”

Speaking on BBC Look North, Mr Kingdom said: “We’ve been looking at it quite seriously recently and we have found that the inequalities are growing, they’re large and they’re serious.

“In terms of length of life, quality of life and the amount of people with long term health conditions, Bridlington has got the worst levels in all of the East Riding unfortunately. So this is a wake up call to do something about it.”