Life Expectancy Gap Leads To £100,000 Boost For Prince's Trust, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 24 Sep 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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An 11-year difference between the life expectancy of Fleetwood residents and those from neighbouring areas has prompted a leading healthcare commissioner to partner with The Prince's Trust to improve the lives of deprived young people.

NHS North Lancashire (PCT) is responsible for delivering healthcare to more than 300,000 people and has announced that it has asked the youth charity to offer a series of programmes for disadvantaged 14 to 30 -year-olds.

Areas such as Fleetwood and Morecambe are home to a number of young people who remain disengaged, unemployed and unfulfilled which can be linked to low life expectancy and poor health.

The PCT has chosen to invest in the leading youth charity as part of the authority's continued drive to find new ways of addressing health inequalities across the Fylde, Lancaster and Wyre boroughs.

Cleveleys residents are expected to live 11 years longer than those living just half-a-mile up the road in Fleetwood, where much of The Prince's Trust work will be focused.

The partnership will fund a range of programmes to boost health and well-being through improving confidence and job prospects. The projects will incorporate activities such as drugs and alcohol awareness, first aid, exercise and sex education.

A one-week pilot programme, 'Get Started with Football' has already been completed in Fleetwood and was designed to boost the skills, health and confidence of participants aged 16-25 as they learnt how to coach football to children.

Sixteen year old Steven Cowell from Fleetwood was one of 13 young people who completed the course at Blackpool Football Club. He said:

"I enrolled while I was waiting for my GCSE results. I wanted a back-up plan as I often struggled at school and saw this as a good opportunity to improve my confidence. I also love football so this was another good reason to get involved.

I finished the course with more confidence and found out that I'm better at running than I realised. Because of this opportunity, I now volunteer as a children's football coach for Blackpool football club."

Another Get Started with Football course started on Monday 15th September at Morecambe Football Club.

Jackie Tyler, North West Regional Director for The Prince's Trust added:

"This is an outstanding example of the power of partnership between a committed, forward-thinking part of the NHS and a youth charity. This generous cash boost will help us to improve the health and well-being of disengaged young people through a range of programmes which last year helped more than three in four participants into work, education and training."

Last year, NHS North Lancashire ran a public engagement campaign, 'Health Fast Forward'. They found that the public would welcome a preventative approach which focused on younger generations in an effort to reduce factors relating to health problems and low life expectancy such as depression and poverty.

Ian Cumming, Chief Executive for the of NHS North Lancashire commented: "We are delighted to be able to support The Prince's Trust in this way as the charity has an excellent track record of supporting young people to improve their lives and prospects for the future.

"As a healthcare provider, we are committed to safeguarding and improving the health of everyone in North Lancashire through providing excellent healthcare. We believe that through working with partners such as The Prince's Trust we can help improve our young population's quality of life."

This year alone, youth charity The Prince's Trust aims to support 5,000 14-30 year olds across the North West. Those supported will have struggled at school, been in care, have a history of long-term unemployment or will have been in trouble with the law.

For further information about The Prince's Trust, visit http://www.princes-trust.org.uk or call 0800 842 842.

Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives in the UK. It gives practical and financial support, developing skills such as confidence and motivation. The Prince of Wales's charity has helped more than 575,000 since 1976 and continues to support 100 more every working day.

NHS North Lancashire was established in October 2006 and is responsible for the delivery of healthcare in North Lancashire through doctors, dentists, pharmacists and optometrists and the employment of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, podiatrists, nurses, health visitors and other professional people providing services in the community.

They are responsible for the local healthcare budget (just under £500 million), which means money can be spent where it is most needed, in hospitals and the community, for the direct benefit of the people of Fylde, Lancaster and Wyre boroughs.

NHS North Lancashire is running a hugely successful and rapidly growing Affiliate Scheme, the first of its kind in the country. It is a way to ensure that residents of North Lancashire have their say in Healthcare provision in the area. For more information go to www.northlancshealth.nhs.uk

The Prince's Trust