Southwark is part of inner London. It borders the Thames in the north and the boroughs of Lambeth and Lewisham to the east and west.
Overall, Southwark is one of the most deprived boroughs in Britain. Key issues include:
- 40% of dependant children live in lone parent families
- 38% live in a household with no adult in full time employment
- 37% of 16 year olds leave school without any qualifications
- 32% of adults have no recognised professional or technical qualification
- 38% of households consist of only one person
Healthcare in Southwark
Around 280,000 people are registered with 49 General Practices. There are also considerable numbers who live in Southwark and receive health and social services but are registered with a GP in another Borough (or are unregistered), including refugees, the homeless, commuters, travellers and young, highly mobile populations.
Coronary Heart Disease in Southwark
Heart disease and strokes are the major causes of death in Southwark, as in England and Wales generally. Overall the death rates from these is a little lower than in the rest of the country. Within this, however, Africa-Caribbean and Asian groups have higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
The Pilot Area
The pilot area is concentrated around the Aylesbury Estate, a densely populated area in the heart of North Southwark currently undergoing extensive regeneration. The area is highly deprived and the identified combined practice population contains 83% of North Southwark PCG’s most deprived, living in wards with a Jarman score of greater than 50.
Five GP practices with 20 GP partners are taking part in the project, with a combined practice population of over 43,000. Practices range from single-handed to large partnerships. Each practice has close links with pharmacies in the area.
Seven pharmacies are taking part in the project: four are independent pharmacies and three are branches of national companies. The majority are in high street locations. All the pharmacists currently work closely with one or more of the GP practices in the Aylesbury area. A total of 13 pharmacists will be taking part, including a number of long-term locums.
