CONCERNS have been raised after life expectancy for women in Inverclyde showed the sharpest decline in the country.

In Inverclyde a woman is now expected to live to 79, which is a decline of 18 weeks from the 2012 figures.

Health and social care bosses are now looking at data within different zones of Inverclyde as they try to tackle low life expectancy.

A senior councillor has called for a detailed investigation into the latest grim public health statistics for an area where inequality continues to shorten the lives of many residents.

Councillor Jim Clocherty said: "We have to look at the disparity in Inverclyde itself.

"There is a gap between Kilmacolm and Port Glasgow, as well as a gap between Greenock town centre and the west end."

The district now has the second lowest life expectancy for women in the whole of the country and the third worst for men.

A new report by National Records of Scotland shows that while life expectancy is stable overall in the country as whole, it is falling in Inverclyde among both sexes.

Only women living in Glasgow have a lower life expectancy than those in Inverclyde.

Worringly the figures show the gap between here and the national average is widening.

Eight years ago men in Inverclyde could be expected to live to 75.5.

This has now dropped to 74.9.

Inverclyde has the third lowest life expectancy among men, and it is one of the lowest in the whole of the UK.

The director of the health and social care partnership, Louise Long, says that heart problems, COPD and dementia remain the three biggest causes of deaths.

Deaths among men and women aged 60 to 70 are considerably higher in Inverclyde compared with the national average.

Ms Long said: "Life expectancy is like child poverty and there is a whole basket of things that need to be addressed.

"The integration joint board are doing a lot of work and it is a priority."

The HSCP is to compile a report on the variance in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas of Inverclyde.

It's expected to be presented to councillors in the new year.