The death rate in West Dunbartonshire at the end of last year was the second highest in Scotland, according to new figures.

Government statistics show the death rate in the area was 13.2 per 1,000 people, marginally behind the rate for Inverclyde at 14.4.

Ischaemic heart diseases was main cause of death for men in the area, followed by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

For women, the leading cause of death in 2017 was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, followed by lung cancer.

The continued death toll exacted by these diseases, plus the impact of poverty, has prompted fresh calls for additional prevention measures.

Jackie Baillie MSP said: “It is disappointing that West Dunbartonshire had the second highest death rate in Scotland in the last quarter of 2018.

“Given that two of the main causes of death locally were heart disease and lung cancer, which are preventable, it is important that we do more on prevention and ensure that local people have access to world-class health services.”

Gil Paterson MSP said: “Heart disease has been a blight on the West of Scotland and particularly Clydebank for a long time, it’s no accident that’s what the Golden Jubilee Hospital specialises in.

“In my view poverty is a major contributor to the ill health suffered in our communities which is why we have projects that are aimed at tackling the issue.

“Things like free school meals and money to tackle the attainment gap are initiatives to tackle the problem of ill health at source.

“The biggest chunk of Scotland’s budget goes to the NHS.”

The figures show that in the last quarter of 2018, 144 men and 154 women died in West Dunbartonshire.

Over the past 20 years, the death rate has been fluctuating, and has recently begun to gradually decline - from 1,050 deaths in 2016 to 1,031 in 2017.

In addition, life expectancy in West Dunbartonshire has gone up steadily over recent years, and is at its highest in more than 10 years.

However, this trend has stalled, in common with the rest of Scotland, and the average female in the area is now expected to live to 79.1, and the average male 75.

The NHS said recently the country was experiencing the slowest life expectancy increase since at least the late 1970s, while death rates have begun to rise for people living in the poorest areas.

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Dr Gerry McCartney, head of the public health observatory at NHS Health Scotland, said: “What we see here is a worrying trend. Life expectancy not only gives an indication of how long people are likely to live, but also serves as a ‘warning light’ for the public’s health.

“In addition, the fact that socioeconomic position now plays a bigger role in how long you live than it did before is cause for concern.

“There are likely to be a number of factors at play. The strongest candidates are recent policies that address recent economic setbacks which have reduced spending on benefits, squeezed incomes and trapped people in poverty – these may all have contributed.

“Cuts to council budgets and pressures on key local services, such as social care, could also have had an impact.

“There have been some severe flu outbreaks in recent years which will have increased demands on services too.

“All of these factors – and more – are likely to be important in explaining the recent trends.”