• The North Forest patch has more people over the age of 45 than the PCT average, particularly in the 45-64 and 65-74 age groups. There are less people in the three age groups covering 0-44 year olds than the PCT average
  
  
• The patch’s fertility rate is ranked fifth out of the eight patches (54.7). The fertility rate is the number of births per 1,000 women of child bearing age (15 to 44)
  
  
• In terms of multiple deprivation, the North Forest patch scores fairly evenly over five of the indices (income, employment, health, education, child poverty) with housing and access being slightly higher, indicating there is a larger problem with these issues
  
  
• The patch has the second highest number of people (of the eight patches) who claimed their health was ‘not good’ during the last Census. The figure of 8.9% is above the county average (7.5%), but less than the average for England and Wales (9.2%)
  
  
• The North Forest patch has the second highest number of people (of the eight patches) who are living with longterm illness. This information was declared in the 2001 Census and represents 18.4% of the population
  
  
• The patch has the fourth highest estimated diabetes rate in the over 16’s
  
  
• The patch has the third highest figure (3.2%) for unemployment in people aged between 16 and 74. This is above the County average (2.57%) but slightly less than the England and Wales average (3.3%)
  
  
• The patch is below the average for the PCT in terms of the following categories of crime (for 2000): violent crime, burglary from dwellings, theft of a vehicle and young offenders

More information on the profile of the Patch can be found in the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report. Please contact the PCT for a copy or click here