ABOUT a third of all children aged 10 to 11 in Barnsley are classed as overweight or obese, new data from NHS England shows.
The stark figure is included in this year’s assessment of Barnsley Clinical Commissioning Group which commissions the town’s health services which was rated as outstanding overall.
It is one of just 20 out of 204 CCGs across the country to receive the top rating.
It has been recognised for its continued high standards and performance, with leadership of the CCG rated as outstanding.
Cancer services were deemed good with 49.6 per cent of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer diagnosed at an early stage, 86 per cent of people treated within the 62 days and a one-year survival rate of 71 per cent.
Regarding mental health, 51.6 per cent of people who finished treatment moved to recovery. The target was 50 per cent. But the data shows that despite work across the board to reduce child obesity, 32.7 per cent of all ten to 11-year-olds as classed as overweight or obese.
Maternity services required improvement, with 16.7 per cent (798) mothers smoking at the time of delivery. Under NHS England’s improvement and assessment framework, all CCGs are assessed and given a rating according to whether they are a well-led organisation, on their financial performance, planning and performance.
Lesley Smith, chief officer of Barnsley CCG said: “We are delighted to achieve our ‘outstanding’ rating.
“This is a testament to our commitment to improving the health services and health outcomes for everyone across the borough and the hard work of all staff to achieve this.
“The assessment focuses on how we are contributing towards improving the health and wellbeing of the local population, our leadership and our financial management and whether we are securing good value for patients and the public.
“This national endorsement demonstrates the confidence that people can continue to have in our commissioning of local health services.
“We’re clear that there have been improvements in people’s health and our rating shows that here in Barnsley we are progressing well but there is still clearly much more that we can do.
“Reducing the number of children who are overweight for example and encouraging and supporting mums to stop smoking before or during their pregnancy. These are things we need to work on together across Barnsley."
Coun Jim Andrews, cabinet spokesman for public health, said: “Figures from Public Health England for 2016-17 show that Barnsley has more children of a healthy weight than the national average.
“Barnsley has seen a reduction in childhood obesity figures and current rates show that local figures are the lowest since 2008-09.”
