Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Draft update)

The health impacts of climate change, environmental hazards and loss of natural environments hit our poorest communities hardest, making existing health problems even worse. Pursuing environmental sustainability and health equity together means recognising the links between environmental health, social justice, and overall well-being, and advocating for policies that address both.  

Our understanding of the impact of climate change, air pollution, housing and active forms of travel, is improving rapidly. The environment, 'our place', is a major determinant of health, thought to account for almost 20% of all deaths in Europe6. 

Pollution, lack of green spaces, and unsustainable development can all negatively impact mental and physical health, especially for populations most vulnerable to negative impacts. 

By incorporating environmental sustainability into the broader framework of health equity, there is an opportunity to have a holistic approach to addressing the root causes of health inequalities.  

We want to create a greener, fairer Gateshead where environmental sustainability and health equity are pursued together to ensure all residents love where they live and can thrive. People, place, planet.  

The action we will take

We will:

• ensure that all work supporting environmental sustainability considers inequalities that groups and communities may face 

• reduce exposure to environmental hazards, for example; noise, air pollution, poor housing, and poor quality environments 

• enable equitable access to environmental benefits such as; clean air, safe housing, nature and green and blue spaces through place making policy 

• build climate resilience through policies and plans which include protection against heat and flood events 

• embed sustainability and equity in all local policies—from transport to food to housing to education including commissioning and procurement, and our supply chain. 

• enable community and voluntary action to strengthen the links between people, place and planet and involve residents in designing green and health-promoting spaces. 

• prioritise environmental policies that benefit vulnerable communities: ensuring that environmental improvements are accessible and beneficial to all, maximising co-benefits  

• deliver more green infrastructure including; tree planting and green corridors, community gardens and green spaces in areas with poor access and use urban greening to reduce heat islands and improve mental health 

• provide and enable sustainable housing and green heat and energy schemes, including retrofitting homes for energy efficiency, prioritising low-income households for clean energy and insulation schemes and addressing damp and mould  

• enable active and sustainable transport: including improving walking and cycling infrastructure focusing on hard to reach groups and areas and ensuring public transport is affordable and accessible for all 

We will deliver this through:

• Gateshead Local Plan and Regeneration strategy 

• Climate Strategy  

• Gateshead Food Partnership  

• Travel Plan  

• Air Quality Management  

• Zero carbon Heat strategy  

• Climate Action Plans  

• Local VCSE organisations  

• Fuel Poverty Action Plan 

We know we will have made a difference when:

• we actively use indicators like access to green space, air quality, fuel poverty, and health outcomes by ward

• we undertake Equality Impact Assessments or more detailed Health Equity Impact Assessments (HEIAs) for all major environmental projects

• environmental hazards are not felt unequally  

• people feel comfortable in their homes  

• access to nature and green space is available to all  

• people are able to travel sustainably  

• Gateshead is carbon neutral by 2030  

• Gateshead has clean air with low levels of pollution