New South Yorkshire care board set up to improve region's health

People living in South Yorkshire have a lower life expectancy than the national average

Children in South Yorkshire have a lower life expectancy than the national average, a report has shown.

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said the region also loses 2.5 million more working days than the national average due to poor health.

A new Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) has launched to improve the lives and health of people living in the county.

Poor health impacted care services and the economy, Mayor Oliver Coppard said.

Mr Coppard, who chairs the new regional group, called on the NHS and other authorities to help people living in South Yorkshire to "live happier, healthier lives for longer".

The working group would look at increasing life expectancy in the region by three years by 2028/2030.

It hoped to do that by stopping more people from smoking, encouraging healthier eating and stopping binge drinking, a document outlining the plans said.

A child born in Rotherham would on average die five years younger than a child in London, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority said.

It added the group aims to "reduce the economic inactivity rate in South Yorkshire to less than 20% across our places by 2028/30".

Oliver Coppard said he hoped to make people living in South Yorkshire healthier

"In South Yorkshire, we're losing on average 14 million working days a year due to ill health. That's not just a tragedy for the individuals who get sick and can't work, it affects us all, it's slowing down our economy and adding to the huge costs of public services," Mr Coppard said.

The ICP wants to minimise the health inequalities between the richest and poorest people in South Yorkshire making it "the healthiest region in the country".

Gavin Boyle, chief executive of NHS South Yorkshire, said it was a "really ambitious" plan.

"We know that about a third of children in SY live in poverty - that's about 100,000 kids. Deprivation plays a huge part in poor health and fewer opportunities. I'm determined we'll make a real difference for our communities," he added.