A new low as Scots hope of long healthy life plummets

JOHN SWINNEY and the SNP have been told they should be "ashamed" Scotland’s healthy life expectancy has dropped to a near 10-year low.

- By David Walker

It comes as the blame for Scots dying earlier was laid on Scottish Government health policies.

Latest data published by National Records of Scotland for 2021/23 reveals that women can expect 60 years of good health, and males 59.6 on average. Healthy life expectancy at birth has fallen since 2014/2016, with England enjoying a higher average.

One of the biggest reasons given is a major difference between regions, with North Lanarkshire and North Ayrshire having the lowest age (52.5 years for females) and Perth and Kinross the highest (66.6 females), with a difference of 14 years for women and 13 years for men between the two regions.