Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Strategy

To achieve our vision, we know the importance of working together, across Gateshead, with communities, breaking down boundaries between organisations and services. Our Joint Health and Wellbeing strategy combines a shared ambition to close the health gap in Gateshead from partners across the borough. By using this strategy and combining the efforts of all partners, we will improve health and wellbeing for everyone in Gateshead.

Our Strategy has been developed and agreed by our key partners. It will be delivered together with the organisations on the Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Board through our combined existing strategies, policies and plans. Our shared health and wellbeing vision and principles will guide everything we do.

Our health and wellbeing is shaped by the world around us. Building a healthy society is like constructing a strong and sturdy building. We need the right building blocks in place. (https://www.health.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-12/HEAJ9448-Communicators-Toolkit-220725.pdf (opens new window)). These health and wellbeing building blocks include good jobs, safe homes and neighbourhoods, good quality and easy-to-access services, enough money to meet every day needs and more.

Wider determinants of health

• access to services
• income
• education and skills
• homes
• transport
• food
• environment
• supportive family and friends
• environment

Building blocks that are weak or missing result in poor health and health inequalities.

To effectively reduce the health gap, we must learn where building blocks are missing or broken, so that we can see the opportunities for action.
10 Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

We know that improving health and wellbeing in Gateshead means focusing on the specific needs, strengths, and circumstances of each local area. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. Instead, we need to use a place-based approach that brings together different parts of the system to work in a joined up way. The Population Intervention Triangle sets out how this can work. Whilst the building blocks of health shows what we need to change, the Population Intervention Triangle (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-inequalities-place-based-approaches-to-reduce-inequalities/place-based-approaches-for-reducing-health-inequalities-main-report (opens new window)) helps us to understand how we can change things. It shows three types of action that, when combined, can make a bigger difference than any one on its own. 

Population intervention triangle

• Civic-level interventions are strategic actions taken by local authorities or other public sector bodies like the Police, Fire and Rescue and welfare agencies which aim to improve population health by changing the wider environment in which people live. Examples of this include legislation and regulation, planning policy, alcohol licensing and housing standards.
• Service-based interventions are public services delivered by the NHS, local authorities, or other organisations, including the voluntary and community sector, to support individuals directly, for example hospital services and social care and support services,
• Community-centred interventions are interventions where the community is actively involved in designing, delivering, or shaping the action - not just receiving it - including peer support, or local health champions and volunteers.

Working in this way means that we don't treat these areas as separate. Instead, we connect them, making sure everything we do is joined-up and tailored to local needs. When civic, service-based, and community-led actions come together through place-based planning, we can make a bigger difference to reducing health inequalities.We will use our insight from our Local Index of Need (LIoN) and work together with local communities and those with lived experience, to help us to see the relative needs of different places and people. 

This will support us in identifying and developing suitable interventions and where they would be best targeted within local communities.In addition to geographically defined communities, we will also think about the needs of diverse communities and those experiencing health inequalities, to jointly develop approaches which will help to close the health gap.

An example of how the Population Intervention Triangle works

Food insecurity is when a person cannot reliably access enough affordable and healthy food. The North East has the second highest food insecurity rate in England. Rising food inflation has hit healthy staples hardest - nutritious foods cost 2 to 3 times more per calorie than unhealthy ones.(https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-04/TFF_The%20Broken%20Plate%202025.pdf (opens new window))  Shops, high streets and TV and street advertising often promote ultra-processed, cheap options high in salt, fat, and sugar.

Diet-related disease is a leading cause of illness and preventable early death. In Gateshead, only half of adults eat enough fruit and veg; children eat even less. Obesity affects 37.9% of Year 6 children (https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/obesity-physical-activity-nutrition/data#page/1 (opens new window)) and 68.4% of adults, (https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/obesity-physical-activity-nutrition/data#page/1 (opens new window)) with higher rates in deprived areas. Food insecurity makes it hard for people to plan cook and eat healthy food and can lead to poor nutrition and unhealthy eating behaviours.

Civic level interventions

Gateshead Council has a planning policy to limit new fast-food takeaways near schools and in areas with high obesity rates. This has helped improve children's health in the most deprived areas, where a Lancaster University study showed a 4.8% drop in obesity rates compared to similar places without the policy. 

Community centred interventions

Community groups across Gateshead are working to improve access to healthy food and reduce diet-related health inequalities. Through cooking classes, food education, food growing projects, places and events to share food together, these initiatives are helping people build skills, confidence and connections around nutritious, affordable food. Many of these projects come together through Gateshead Food Partnership to share ideas, learning, resources and skills.

Service lead interventions

Over 30 local organisations offer emergency food support, from large charities to small community groups. With support from government funding and the council, they are working together to make sure no one goes hungry or cold. Residents can also get financial help directly from the council; all who are eligible for Free School Meals get vouchers in the holidays; and Citizens Advice Gateshead are based at food banks to offer support and help stop future crises.