Teen health in Oldham not neglected

OLDHAM’S teenagers have access to a wide range of services to help them stay healthy and away from alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.

This level of support has been revealed as the Government is accused of creating a teenage timebomb by neglecting young people’s health.

The Conservatives have warned that the number of teens being admitted to hospital for alcohol or smoking related problems has soared in England since 2000.

There has also been a sharp rise in the level of abortions and sexually transmitted infections.

The details were compiled using official figures, and shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has called for action, saying that fact so many young people are turning to drugs and alcohol is a sad indictment of our fractured society.

According to the Conservatives, nationally there has been a 51 per cent increase in the number of teens admitted to hospital for alcohol abuse since 2000, to nearly 12,700 a year.

Admissions for smoking-related conditions have risen by 41 per cent to more than 16,200.

The number of youngsters treated for sexually transmitted infections has increased by 21 per cent since 2003 to more than 53,000 annually.

And abortions have gone up 15 per cent to 43,800 annually over the same period.

The cost of hospital treatment for the teens is estimated at £130 million per year. In 2000 it was around £100 million.

Nearly a third of children starting Year 6 were overweight or obese in 2006–7.

Alan Higgins, Oldham’s director of public health, said: “We run a great number of schemes which we hope are making a difference to the health of young people.

“They provide advice, information and support in areas such as healthy eating, physical activity, smoking, drinking and sexual health.”

Health advisers work in every school, sexual health and mental health nurses are based in organisations such as sixth forms and the pupil-support unit, and a nurse works with 16 to 18-year-olds at Positive Steps.

Projects are run to prevent and manage obesity in children, and Oldham Community Health Action organises various physical activities for young people.

The stop smoking service has a young person’s adviser who works with schools, youth clubs and Oldham Athletic.

And it has worked with Oldham Theatre Workshop on a play for 11-year-olds.

The Greater Manchester wide RU Clear? Programme has helped to increase the number of young people tested for chlamydia, while advisers give sexual health advice and condoms to under-18s.

Oldham Primary Care Trust has invested in Brook, which provides sexual health advice for young people.