Doncaster named one of top ten unhealthiest places in England in new study

The study, put together by the Office for National Statistics and financial company, placed Doncaster as the seventh most unhealthy place in the whole of the country.

Only Blackpool, Hull, Stoke, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Knowsley were ranked higher in the survey which assessed a number of different health criteria in the town.

The first official national health index was drawn up by looking at factors such as dementia, alcohol misuse, cancer and obesity with points awarded based on number of cases, or lack of them.

Doncaster scored 94, way behind the UK’s healthiest place, which was named as Wokingham in Berkshire with a score of 110.

The data, prepared by the ONS and financial services company Lane Clark & Peacock comes after Government ministers asked statisticians to assess the health of the nation in a bid to measure the effects of government policy on health.

Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, head of health analytics at LCP, who helped draw up the list said the index of 149 local authority areas should be viewed as 'an asset to the nation'.

He told The Sunday Times: 'The numbers reveal clear and substantial differences across England and should be a wake-up call to the government to deliver on its manifesto pledge to level up regional inequalities.

'While there is some encouragement to be had from slight improvements in measures related to wellbeing and mortality, these have been cancelled out by worsening mental and physical health morbidity.