Post comment: City must end inequalities in life expectancy

THE map of life expectancy in Nottingham, which we publish today, starkly depicts the differences between rich and poor in our city.

A creative type at Nottingham City Primary Care Trust has had the bright idea of showing how life expectancies change dramatically along the course of bus and tram routes.

It is an effective piece of communication, which could usefully be displayed more widely.

It is important that city residents, particularly those who are at risk of dying younger, should know about these inequalities.

Any solution to the problem may depend, in part, on those affected demanding a better deal.

After all, it is not fair that a man in Bilborough dies ten years younger than a man in Wollaton, just a short ride away on the number 35.

But making the local population aware of the situation is clearly only the start.

Support for people to help them to stop smoking, exercise more and eat healthily is critical.

In recent years, significantly more effort and investment has gone into initiatives to achieve these aims (and Government targets have proliferated to measure progress).

However, there is a long way to go. The fact that the budget for public health promotion in Nottingham still only accounts for 0.5% of the city's overall NHS expenditure suggests the right balance has not yet been reached between prevention and cure in the health service.

However, responsibility for a healthy city does not rest exclusively with the NHS.

The city council must also prioritise wellbeing of residents in poorer parts of Nottingham.

And ultimately, wider determinants of health, such as education and employment will define the extent of progress.