Healthy life expectancy in Doncaster decreased by over 6 months in 2022

Healthy life expectancy in Doncaster declined by six months for men and 8.4 months for women in 2022.

The figure was revealed in the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report 2022 and presented to councillors last week.

The decline puts healthy life expectancy in Doncaster at 56 for men and 57 for women.

This is the third lowest in the country.

Healthy life expectancy refers to the age that residents will reach on average until they are no longer fit and healthy to work.

Retirement age in the UK is currently 67, meaning that Doncaster residents are at risk of having to work for 10-11 years while unfit to do so.

Real life expectancy figures for 2022 have not been released but this also dropped in 2020-2021.

Babies born during this period in Doncaster have a life expectancy of 77.8 in males and 81 in females.

Director of Public Health Rupert Suckling said that out of eight years, the 2022 report was “the most disappointing and discouraging” he has written.

In other areas, there has been a 10 percent rise in hospital admissions due to seasonal influenzas over the winter period.

On a positive note, the number of babies born at a low birth weight has decreased across the city.

At a full council meeting last week, councillors approved the findings of the review and recommendations to tackle the issues presented.

Action to tackle the figure will be reviewed by Doncaster Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board.