2019: A Year in Numbers

Well this is the last blog posting of 2019, and By ‘Eck, it’s been a hectic year. A new house was purchased, with a decision taken to make it the most colourful house on the Fylde coast. I think we are succeeding in every way. Every door is now a different colour, brightly coloured rugs are scattered on every floor, even the cutlery has changed colour. The collection of 6000+ chickens (captured in every way possible) has been reduced somewhat, but I think I still have the largest chicken collection in the world. And of course, a new house means the chance to start yet another new garden, and we have made a great start. Old traditional (sycamore and more sycamore) trees have been felled, with twice as many new ones planted. A new livestock area has been created which now provides a home for 14 free ranging chickens and two delightful pygmy goats.

I have been to more music concerts in one year than I can remember going to in a long time. Conversely, I have only presented at one mental health conference this past year. I have written a contribution to a monograph on the development of mental health nursing over the last 20 years, and have done so in the company of some absolute giants in the field. I’ve seen two of my PhD students successfully complete their studies and have been privileged to be on the viva examiners’ panels for four other successful PhD students.

Earlier in the year, I fractured my right leg and discovered that there was some truth in the view that men take much longer to seek help for their healthcare needs than women. I also discovered the joys of what a well run urgent care service can do and do with such great efficiency and effectiveness. I have been interviewed by the Care Quality Commission on three occasions, and by one of the big five management accountancy firms twice. I have met the Chief Executive of the NHS three times and been impressed by what he had to say.

Joshua, my 11th grandchild was born (and although 11 grandchildren are great, I wonder how many more there might be). I watched and enjoyed all 92 episodes of Sons of Anarchy, but lost every University Challenge this year to J, whose brain is younger, sharper and faster than mine. However, I did win the inaugural #WeEatWell19 challenge, with the prize of a food hamper going to a foodbank. I learnt a lot about healthy eating and drinking and had great fun along the way. In August, along with other healthcare professionals, I took part in the #WeActive2019 challenge. This year the nurses won, and personally, during the month I lost 6.5kg in weight, walked 200 miles and didn’t drink a drop of alcohol. And as the #NHS1000miles challenge comes to a close I am pleased to say, with a couple more days to go, I have walked 2,310 miles over the year and posted 208 photos of my walks along the way. My ever faithful and willing companion Dylan, has walked nearly all of these miles too!

Surprisingly, maybe, at the age of 64, I gave my first pint of blood this year, discovered Bramble Gin, and rode the Blackpool ‘Ride the Lights’ on my bike. The latter was a 11 mile bike ride, accompanied by thousands of other riders on the most amazing range of bikes I have ever seen. So yes, it’s been a very busy year all told. As we stand on the edge of not only a new year, but a new decade, I reflect that 2020 means that I will have been writing and posting this blog every Sunday for 11 years. That’s a lot of words.

I do wonder if I should call it a day, but the very next Sunday, I’ll be there doing it again, and thank you to all the many readers who not only choose to read the blog, but send me comments as well. My father periodically asks me why do I write the blog? My response has always been that I like the challenge of writing a fresh blog each week, and enjoy writing per se. But I also do it, because it enables me to have a voice in raising awareness of how much more we need to do to make the UK a happier and healthier place to live, and to work towards creating a more just and equal world.

2017 is the last year we have complete data on the numbers of avoidable deaths in the UK. 23% of all deaths were said to be avoidable, and although this figure is better than previous years, it still represents some 141,313 people who need not have died. 34% of all deaths in children and young people were from causes considered avoidable. Blackpool had the highest rate of preventable deaths for men, whereas Surrey Heath had the lowest rate. For women, it was Manchester that saw the highest preventable mortality rate, with South Oxfordshire having the lowest. 

We are starting a new decade in which there is the clearest of all links between avoidable deaths and areas of deprivation. People living in the most deprived areas have a much greater risk of developing a long-term and often life-shortening condition 10 years earlier than those living in the least deprived areas of the UK. For men it’s five times more likely, and women four times more likely that they will die prematurely from an avoidable condition, due to living in an area of high deprivation.

It can sometimes be easy to blame the individual for the lifestyle choices they make. I have been guilty of doing so in some of my blog posts that perhaps have looked at smoking, alcohol misuse, or not being active and exercising regularly and the clear link to poor health and illness. The reality is that where people live, work and grow older can make it harder for many people to live healthier and happier lives. Whilst the NHS has, and probably always will have, an important role to play in keeping us all healthy and able to live the best life we can, other public services also have a role. I have spent the last six years as a Non-Executive Director at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust. As such, I might be accused of being biased in recommending The Deal 2030 as a good example of how to bring all these agencies together in a way that also recognises our personal responsibilities. Take a look and see what you think. 

I hope 2020 brings you all the opportunities you wish for to live happy and healthy lives. J said yes, and we got engaged this year, and I’m very much looking forward to getting married next Spring. 

Thank you, dear readers, for the support and kindness you have shown me in reading this blog each week, and for now, well at least until next Sunday at least, I will keep writing it. Happy New Year to you all.