Manchester Council’s Liberal Democrats have today warned that Manchester is in the midst of a “dangerous postcode lottery” as official figures reveal more than half the city has not been offered a health check in the last five years.
The figures place Manchester as worst in the North West and seventh worst in the country, just behind Wokingham (46%), Poole (45%), Cornwall (38%), Harrow (35%), Bournemouth (34%), Surrey (31%).
Manchester falls well short of the regional (93%) and national (85%) average with less than 48% of people being offered a health check in the last five years.
According to figures published by Public Health England, the North West ranks third best in the country with Manchester as the only area in the region with figures below 50%
In total, nine local authority areas failed to offer even half of people a health check in the last five years.
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Manchester Greg Stanton accused the Tory Government of playing a “dangerous postcode lottery” with people’s lives and called for “a transformational investment in public health with a penny on income tax.”
Health check-ups for adults in England are available to everyone aged 40-74. According to the NHS, these checks are designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia.
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Manchester, Greg Stanton said:
“It is clear that Manchester’s healthcare system is working under impossible strain with dangerously low health check rates.
“The NHS Long Term Plan focused on prevention as a way to secure the future of the NHS, but it will not succeed if the Tories insist on cutting funding.
“There is no doubt these savage cuts are to blame for putting people’s lives in a dangerous postcode lottery, resulting in grossly unfair disparity across the country.
“Liberal Democrats are committed to rescuing the NHS with a transformational investment by putting a penny on income tax to raise more than £6bn. This would give new life to community health and GP services to ensure people get the appointments and care they need.”
