Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Draft update)

Since we launched our Health and Wellbeing Strategy in 2020, our communities have faced extraordinary challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and deepened existing inequalities, while the ongoing cost of living crisis has placed even greater pressure on individuals, families, and services. These events have tested our strength and ability to adapt, but they have also reaffirmed the importance of making Gateshead a place where everyone thrives. The health and care system also continues to see significant changes including the NHS England 10-year plan with the ambition to move from hospitals to communities, from analogue to digital and from treatment to prevention. Responding to these challenges requires a joined-up approach. The partnership approach of the Health and Wellbeing Board in driving this work through our organisations and systems, could not be more important. 

This updated and developed strategy continues the approach we started in 2020. While we have made progress in some areas, there is still much more to do. The gap in health and social outcomes in many cases is widening. We live in an increasingly digital world; one marked by increasing risk from misinformation that can impact health and put lives at risk. We must act with renewed urgency and purpose. 
 
Reducing health and social inequalities is not just a matter of fairness, it is essential for the wellbeing of all. In more unequal societies, civic participation declines, household debt rises, and child wellbeing suffers. It is wrong that a person's health and life chances are so closely tied to their social and economic circumstances.  
 
In Gateshead, the evidence is stark. Child poverty remains unacceptably high. In 2023/24, the proportion of children (under 16) in absolute low income families had increased to 23.5%. In 2023/24, 7,891 people accessed emergency food support from Gateshead Foodbank. These figures are not just statistics; they represent real people in our communities struggling to meet their most basic needs. 
 
I welcome the inclusion of the additional objectives set out by Sir Michael Marmot, specifically addressing the fundamental issues of racism and sustainability. Evidence tells us that racism has a significant impact on physical health and wellbeing and that it is the communities with the least resources that suffer most from climate change. These additions reflect our commitment to tackling structural inequalities and ensure that our approach to health and wellbeing is inclusive, equitable, and future-focused. By embedding these principles, we are strengthening our resolve to create a fairer and more resilient Gateshead for all. 

As Sir Michael Marmot reminds us: "Why treat people and send them back to the conditions that made them sick" We are determined to break the cycle of disadvantage and build a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable future for all. 

Councillor Martin Gannon
Leader of Gateshead Council

Download the draft updated Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy as a pdf (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)