Doncaster still has a high number of smokers and people suffering from obesity. Furthermore, within Doncaster there are large inequalities in health expectations and outcomes between communities.
Smoking - Doncaster has significantly higher death rates from lung cancer, circulatory diseases (including coronary heart disease) and chronic lung disease (COPD). The risk of premature death from each of these causes is greatly increased by cigarette smoking.
The Doncaster NHS
Stop Smoking Service run sessions and arrange individual appointments to help motivated quitters to kick the habit.
Cancer - Screening rates for women for cervical cancer are above the national level. Breast cancer screening coverage rates have usually been above national averages as well, but they dropped in 2002/3 and 2003/4.
Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust is Doncaster’s oldest local charity. It organises fund raising events to purchase, for inhabitants of Doncaster, first line equipment to diagnose and treat cancer.
Teenage Pregnancy - Doncaster has some of the highest conception rates in the country amongst women aged under 18. The government has set a target to reduce the rate by half by 2010. Recently, there has been a major reduction in the number of teenage pregnancies in the borough. Figures for the office of national statistics show a 24.1 per cent reduction between 1998 and 2006 - the second biggest drop in the Yorkshire and Humber region
More than a Number was launched in June 2005 by the NHS, Doncaster Council’s youth service and other partners and provides advice and information on matters like sexual health and drugs abuse and signposts viewers to local services that are able to help.
Immunisation - Childhood immunisation rates in Doncaster are similar to national coverage rates with the exception of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR). In Doncaster MMR immunisation rates are 3% above the national rate.
For more information on childhood immunisation visit
4parentsbyparents.
Dental Health - There is now a new centralised system to help people find a dentist. Instead of ringing around practices, they now have to ring just one number - 01302 768 550 - where staff from the
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) have been linking up with local dentists to identify when they can take on additional patients. Between November 2007 and March 2008, PALS staff took enquiries from 3,242 patients and successfully placed 2,924 of them with a dentist.
Follow the link for a full report on
Doncaster's Health Profile.