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Publication - Research and analysis

Scottish islands: data overview 2023

Published
5 December 2023
From
Director-General Net Zero
Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate
Part of
Arts, culture and sport, Business, industry and innovation, Children and families, +12 more … Communities and third sector, Cost of living crisis, Economy, Education, Energy, Environment and climate change, Farming and rural, Health and social care, Housing, Marine and fisheries, Transport, Work and skills
ISBN
9781835217214

This report gives a snapshot of Scotland's island-level data as collated in the new Scottish Islands Data Dashboard and draws out key findings relating to each of the strategic objective topic areas set out in the National Islands Plan.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

9 Health and wellbeing

The majority of Scottish islanders agree that they can easily access GP, pharmacy and dental healthcare.

9.1 Access to Services

The majority of islanders agree or strongly agree that they can easily access GPs, dentists and pharmacies. The majority of islanders do not know if they could easily access mental health services. Many islands have a high GP to patient ratio. Life expectancies are higher than the Scottish average for both men and women in all island local authorities except North Ayrshire Council.

Number of GPs per 10,000 patients
Graph showing number of GPs per 10,000 patients in different island areas. The highest ratio is in the Orkney Islands at 25 GPs per 10,000 patients.

Source: General Practice - GP workforce and practice list sizes, Public Health Scotland (2011)

9.2 Weight and Diet

The prevalence of overweight/obesity is higher in every island local authority when compared to Scotland as a whole. Fruit and vegetable consumption is significantly lower than the rest of Scotland in Shetland, Argyll and Bute and North Ayrshire and significantly higher than the rest of Scotland in Highland Council.

9.3 Suicide Rate

The suicide rate (not age-adjusted) per 100,000 people[1] (2016-20) was higher than the Scottish average in every island local authority except Shetland. In particular, the suicide rate in Highland council was 7% points higher than the national average rate.

Contact

Email: socialresearch@gov.scot

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