The region’s public health chief has issued a stark warning that household food and fuel poverty could lead to more deaths this winter.
Valerie White expressed “grave concerns” over growing income inequality fuelling excess mortality in low income households.
The director of public health for Dumfries and Galloway told the News they are working hard to mitigate the impact on those in poverty.
But Ms White stressed: “The current situation with regard to increases in the cost of living are of grave concern in relation to the health and wellbeing of the population.
“We anticipate this will have a negative impact on general self-reported health, mental health, child social and emotional development and lead to excess winter mortality.
“There are a range of other health impacts where the impacts remain uncertain.
“As we saw with Covid-19, this situation is likely to widen inequalities in health.
“This is a very concerning position and one that is being taken very seriously in Dumfries and Galloway.”
Ms White added: “There is much work ongoing through our community planning partners to seek to mitigate impacts, particularly for people experiencing financial poverty.
“It will also be important that we remember the fantastic support networks we have in family, friends and our local communities, including community resilience groups, to get us through these very difficult times.”
Ms White’s intervention follows dire forecasts to Holyrood’s health committee that homes made cold and damp because people could not afford to switch on heating would cost lives.
Dr Jennifer Armstrong, medical director at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, told MSPs: “If you’re in a cold house and you have asthma, COPD – and you’ve got young children – you‘ve got dampness and that will increase the amount of morbidity within the population.”
South of Scotland MSP Emma Harper said: “The warnings we heard from professionals at committee were loud and clear.
“Scotland is paying the price for Westminster control and the only way we can fully tackle health inequalities is with independence.”
