CUMBRIA has been dealt 'a raw deal' by the Government as the amount of public health cash it receives per resident is revealed to be among the lowest in the country.

The county was allocated just £38 per head in public health funding - money that pays for services like sexual health testing, drug and alcohol treatment and prevention of some diseases - this year, lower than the national average of £59 per person.

It means public health chiefs in Cumbria have less money to spend on keeping the county's population in good shape than those in other areas of the country.

The amount of money an authority receives for public health is decided upon by government using an allocation formula.

Last year, the county's public health budget was slashed by £925,000 as the Department of Health attempts to reduce its spending by 2020.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said the figures indicated the government was 'selling Cumbria short'.

"This is further proof if ever it was needed about how little this Government cares about us up here in Cumbria.
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire

"Spending on public health is vital when it comes to things like preventing harm from misuse of drugs and alcohol.

"So not only are these figures grossly unfair, they’re also very potentially damaging for the health of local people."

Cumbria also fared worse than its closest neighbours in terms of cash for public health during 2017/18 - with Lancashire receiving the equivalent of £59 per head from the government while Northumberland has been granted £52 per head.

All of these amounts are in stark contrast to parts of London where Westminster receives the equivalent of £128 per head, Kensington and Chelsea £135 per head and the City of London £187 per head.

Barrow MP John Woodcock described the situation as a 'raw deal' for Cumbria.


John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness. Mr Woodcock said: "Cumbria has a unique set of public health challenges based on our geography and our demographics.

"We desperately need more health funding and it is alarming that we are so far below the national average for spending.

"This another example of the Tories in government giving communities like ours a raw deal.

"The government urgently needs to correct this imbalance and give us our fair share of resources so we can improve services and outcomes."


Sue Hayman, MP for Workington. photo: Tom Kay.

The drop in money available for public health spending in Cumbria has already resulted in the axing of the county's school nurse and health visitor service earlier this year.

The move led to criticism from headteachers and health professionals who claimed it could put the lives of children at risk.

Sue Hayman , MP for Workington, is now set to write to the Government to ask for the issue to be addressed urgently.

"We miss out all the time in Cumbria and it's just not good enough. It's actually disgraceful," she said.

"It's particularly worrying because it costs more to deliver services in a rural area because of the roads and infrastructure problems we have.

"This means even less money is actually getting through to the frontline.

"We should get more in Cumbria, not less."

Those 2017/18 public health figures in full:

Cumbria - £38 per head

Lancashire - £59 per head

Northumberland - £52 per head

NATIONAL AVERAGE - £59 per head

Westminster - £128 per head

Kensington and Chelsea - £135 per head

City of London - £187 per head

What is public health?

Public health is the health of the population of an area, a county or a country as a whole.

In theory, if public health is good overall, fewer people develop chronic conditions or need to go into hospital for acute care.

Public health includes raising awareness of conditions that occur as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle like obesity and diseases caused by smoking and drinking alcohol in a bid to prevent them occurring.

In 2013, public health became the responsibility of local authorities. This means Cumbria County Council is responsible for public health in the county.