The number of children dying before their first birthday is rising among Scotland’s poorest, research has found.

The gap between the poorest and richest Scots has grown, the Health Foundation said.

Analysis found that, as of 2019, there was a 24-year gap in the time spent in good health between people living in the richest and poorest 10% of areas in Scotland.

Chris Creegan, chairman of the charity’s expert advisory group, said: “This review is the most comprehensive study of health inequalities in Scotland since devolution.

“While the findings are complex, what they clearly illustrate is that inequality in health is stubbornly high in Scotland.”

The report found that, from the year 2000, infant mortality fell overall in Scotland and is lower than many other high-income countries.

But since about 2014, the number of infant deaths per 1,000 births rose for the most deprived fifth, while rates fell among the richest 60%.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Health Matters