The Oxford Mail regularly brings to you reports on how well – or not – the county’s NHS is at treating its residents.

From waiting times to threatened services, we have been through the triumphs and tribulations of what remains the Government’s second biggest area of spending after pensions and benefits.

Yet today’s report about the health of the county shows this is only half the story.

The NHS remains a largely reactive service but recent years have seen a greater focus on it trying to stop people getting ill in the first place – and today’s news shows the enormous mountain it has to climb.

Children not engaging in enough physical activity, smoking and poor diet are among the issues putting an even greater strain on creaking NHS resources in Oxfordshire.

Under Labour, billions were pumped into public health campaigns with mixed results.

For all the carrots dangled in front of citizens – from poster campaigns to free fruit – it was one hard stick which brought about real results – the 2007 ban on smoking in public places, now seen by researchers as a key driver in cutting heart attacks.

Perhaps, if the state is to actively take responsibility for our health, other simple laws could make a difference.

Our high road death rate is an obvious case in point – speed limits are being cut across the county and the speed cameras are back on, but will it be enough?

Yet it is ultimately up to the individual to change their habits.

The sharpest shock of all might be that, as managers have no choice but to axe services, they will not be able to safely rely on the NHS should their habits land them on our wards – and we all know how expensive private treatment is.

After all, there’s only so much money in the kitty.