Agenda item

Presentation by the Data Insight and Intelligence Team Strategy and Performance Service

The Health and Wellbeing Board received a presentation regarding the use of tobacco across the Borough of Oldham.

It was noted that Oldham’s smoking prevalence has substantially increased compared with the last few years of data, rising by 30% between 2020 and 2021. Oldham's 2021 rate was the highest across Greater Manchester and the 4th highest in England.

The decrease in the proportion of current smokers over time may be partly attributed to the increase in vaping and e-cigarette use. Data from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) have shown regular use of a vaping device had increased in 2021 and the highest usage was among those aged 16 to 24 years". Policies associated with the Tobacco Control Plan for England, such as increased public awareness campaigns and smokefree places, may have also contributed to decreased smoking prevalence.

Smoking was the single largest driver of health inequalities in England. Smoking was more common among people that experience higher levels of deprivation and lower incomes. Rates varied vastly between different housing tenure across Oldham, with those in rented accommodation more than twice as likely to smoke as homeowners.Routine and manual workers and unemployed residents have higher smoking than those in Intermediate and Managerial and Professional occupations nationally. In Oldham however, there was a higher smoking rate amongst Intermediate level roles.

Smoking accounted for approximately 5.5% of the NHS budget. Admissions to hospital due to smoking related conditions represented a large demand on NHS resources. In 2019/20 there were 2,002 smoking attributable hospital admissions to Oldham residents.

Oldham's smoking attributable hospital admissions was like 2015/16 figures. There was a notable dip in 2016/17 but there had an increase year on year since. Greater Manchester and England have seen slight reductions in their rates over the same period. Oldham’s latest smoking rates were similar to the GM average and the 42^nd highest across England.

Oldham’s smoking attributable mortality rate is comparable to the Greater Manchester average (ranks 5th highest) but is significantly higher than the national average. Although Oldham is in line with the Greater Manchester average, it is important to note the rate is still extremely high and ranks 16th highest nationally.

Oldham had a higher smoking related mortality rate across Cancer, Heart Disease and Stroke. The rates for Oldham, represented in the report, were 447 Cancer deaths, 174 deaths from Heart Disease and 42 deaths from Stroke. Oldham's rate was ranked 18^th highest nationally for Cancer, 7^th highest for Heart Disease and 16^th highest for Stroke.The more disadvantaged a person was, the more likely they were to smoke and to suffer from smoking-related disease and premature death. Nationally, smoking related deaths in the most deprived decile are more than double that in the least deprived.

Oldham has a similar rate of smokers setting a quit date and successful quitters compared to England as a whole, although both have been on a downward trend year on year. In 2019/20, 1,264 people set a quit date in Oldham and 582 had successfully quit after four weeks. Oldham had the highest rate of smokers setting a quit date across Greater Manchester and the third highest rate of successful quitters.

Resolved:

That the presentation be noted and welcomed.