MSPs have concluded that there is an acceptance among people in deprived areas that poor health and an early death are a fact of life.

The Public Audit Committee carried out an investigation into the high rate of heart disease in Scotland and visited Glasgow to speak to patients and GPs about their lifestyle and the availability of care services.

Their report, released today, calls on the Scottish Government to address this, "fatalistic attitude," and to review the numbers and locations of GP practices to ensure resources are better targeted.

Heart disease is responsible for more than 8000 deaths a year in Scotland.

While death rates from all types of heart disease have fallen by around 40% over the last 10 years, rates of heart disease in Scotland are still the highest in Western Europe, and are even higher for men, some ethnic groups and people living in deprived areas.

The committee found people in deprived and ethnic communities areas "normalised" pain, expected poor health and mistook serious life threatening conditions for minor complaints, like indigestion.

Iain Gray, convener of the committee, said the revelations were disturbing and called for a review of how resources are allocated.

He said: "The powerful but deeply disturbing message was 'people like us die of heart disease, and that's how it is'.

"Many simply do not expect to enjoy good health and have an almost resigned acceptance that ill-health, including heart disease, is what life brings.

"The current Government formula for allocating resources does not necessarily lead to higher GP levels in deprived communities.

"We are requesting that the Scottish Government reviews whether GP numbers are adequate to meet the needs of people in deprived areas."

The effectiveness of a key Government initiative aimed at reducing heart disease in deprived communities was questioned by the committee.

The report repeated a comment given in evidence, from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, which stated: "After five years of Keep Well in Glasgow, there was no difference in mortality between the Keep Well practices and non-Keep Well practices."

The Scottish Government said it was too early to make conclusions as the benefits of the scheme were not to quantified until after 10 years on a patients chances of coronary heart disease.

stewart.paterson@ eveningtimes.co.uk