Pharmacists can now access an at-a-glance summary of the health of their area compared with the rest of the UK through a Department of Health website.

The 2011 local health profiles website includes interactive maps and charts of health statistics for 351 local authorities in England. Each area has a four-page local summary that reveals how the region measures up to the national average on indicators ranging from violent crime to diabetes and obesity rates.

The site includes information on life expectancy, the number of children living in poverty, and local health priorities. Ten-year trends in overall mortality, deaths from heart disease or stroke and cancer are also available.