Bridlington faces significant health challenges, particularly in its southern areas, which are recognised as the most challenged area in the East Riding in terms of health outcomes.
This is according to Simon Cox, East Riding of Yorkshire Place Director at Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and comes as a Health Improvement Plan for Bridlington has been proposed.
To support development of a healthcare and care plan engagement was held with the community across the summer of 2024. The results from this
engagement highlighted several areas where access to healthcare is limited, including dental services and general practice appointments.
Participants expressed frustration with long waiting times, challenges with booking systems, and what they deemed to be a lack of certain services locally, such as Accident & Emergency (A&E) care. Mental health services were also flagged as needing significant improvement, with concerns around long waiting times and insufficient support, particularly for young people. In addition to healthcare access issues, transport barriers in this coastal community further challenge the ability of some residents to seek timely and accessible medical care.
As a consequence of this survey and other intelligence, a proposed Health Improvement Plan for Bridlington has been drafted with priority programmes focused on:
- Public Health
- Primary Care.
- Dentistry.
- Hospital Care.
- Diagnostics
- Rehabilitation and social care.
- Mental Health
The plan is intended as a framework for the direction of care planning in the area, and to inform future decision making and resource allocation.
The responsibility for health and care commissioning will primarily rest with the ICB.
Speaking on the issue, Mr Cox emphasised his view that the "fundamental basis of improving health needs to be public health".
"In terms of public health, what we recognize is that Bridlington in terms of its healthy outcomes, particularly South Bridlington is the most challenged area in the East Riding.
And the fundamental basis in my view of improving health needs to be public health. And when we talk about public health, it's how the whole of our health and care system approaches public health.
So public health in its broadest sense, is a fundamental foundation for this improvement plan.
And often provides the biggest opportunities for us to improve health outcomes."
Several key factors contribute to ill health in the area. Mr Cox highlighted that smoking remains the "biggest avoidable cause of ill health".
"We know that, smoking is our. Biggest avoidable cause of ill health.
Weight management is increasingly becoming a challenge in relation to obesity, and mental health conditions, we also know many of them often typically around half of them start at quite an earlier age of the life course, and the earlier we're able to support children in improving their mental health, the better.
And there are some other very cost effective public health interventions such as screening. Which we also need to target those communities that are most at risk."
Following community engagement held in the summer of 2024, a proposed Health Improvement Plan for Bridlington has been drafted. Public Health is listed as one of the priority programmes within this plan. The engagement process itself highlighted areas of concern among residents, including challenges with access to healthcare services, long waiting times, and transport barriers in the coastal community impacting access to timely medical care. The plan framework aims for the health and care community in Bridlington to work together to improve health and well-being outcomes for the population.
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