Wrexham also has problems with obesity, sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy, according to the report from Wales' strategic director of health.

Wrexham Council's executive board will meet next week to discuss the strategic plan for healthcare in the county aimed at tackling the worrying statistics.

According to the report "Caring for our Health 2008-11", there are a number of specific areas in need of improvement for the health and well-being of people in Wrexham.

There are lower levels of physical activity in Wrexham compared to the rest of Wales, and more people in Wrexham are obese or overweight compared to the rest of the country.

As well as the highest number of deaths in Wales from heart disease, Wrexham also has the second highest teenage pregnancy rate for females under 16.

Significantly more people die from respiratory disease in Wrexham than elsewhere in Wales, with cancer of the trachea, bronchus and lung significantly higher than the Welsh average.

There are also concerns about the state of children's teeth. According to the report, more 14-year-olds have decayed, missing or filled teeth compared to the rest of Wales.

Although the report states that the aim is to tackle these problems – along with the issue of the rate of excess alcohol use in children and young people – this is a "long term aim".

Cllr Rodney Skelland, lead member for social affairs, health and housing, said: "All these issues need to be addressed and improving the health of the county is a top priority.

"The problem we have is that, although the Welsh Assembly demands this strategic report, the funding across councils has been cut and it is getting ever more difficult to implement these services.

"For the period from 2008 we have asked officers to come up with a more deliverable strategy which includes more education and preventative measures."

With the aim of tackling these problems "in the long term", the focus of the three year strategy is "to improve the health, social inclusion and well-being of children, young people and adults" with better access to services, improving the quality of health and social care and to improve citizen engagement. The report proposes a number of ways to face the health care challenge in the county with the strategy being to become more "outcome-focused".

These include "greater participation in the healthy schools initiative fresh Start, integration of learning disability and mental health services, development of a new drop-in centre for substance abusers, improved partnership working and greater involvement of service users.

The first Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategy for Wrexham, Caring for our Health 2005-2008, ends on March 31, 2008.

The new report will be discussed by the executive board which will decide whether or not to send the report to the next stage in the process – a formal 12 week public consultation which is required under the Health, Social Care and Well-being Strategies (Wales) Regulations 2007.


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