Health organisations
The health of people living in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear has been heavily influenced by social and economic changes in the region over the past 40 years. The steady decline in the traditional heavy industries of shipbuilding and mining has resulted in high levels of unemployment and a widening gap between the well off and deprived communities. As a result, in 2002 the local authority areas of Tyne and Wear were in the worst 60 in terms of unemployment and low income.
All of these factors have had an impact on health and the strategic health authority covers an area with some of the highest premature death rates in the country. This compares poorly with almost all major regions in Europe. Death rates are between 6% and 23% higher than expected if the area had the same level of health as the rest of England and Wales.
Although these risk factors are due to individual lifestyle choices, they are closely linked to the culture and environment in which people live. Factors including local customs, informal and formal education, the availability and price of goods in local shops and advertising influence individual choice. Arguably the most important factor is the level of free income available for the family and that is largely determined by the local economy.
If the health of the population in this area is to be improved, there has to be a fundamental change in the way health improvement is approached. The root causes of ill health need to be tackled as well as promoting changes in individual behaviour.
North Tyneside Primary Care Trust (PCT) is one of 303 PCTs established nationally to move NHS decision making closer to local communities and frontline staff.
PCTs are the most local part of the NHS and have responsibility for:
- Planning, delivering and purchasing the right healthcare and treatment for the right people at the right time
- Improving access to health services and reducing health inequalities
- Actively working to improve the health and wellbeing of the community
- Encouraging and supporting partnership work between health and social services
The main NHS Trust providers for North Tyneside are:
- Northumbria Health Care NHS Trust
- Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust
- Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health Trust
- Northgate and Prudhoe Trust
- North East Ambulance Service Trust
North Tyneside PCT employs around 600 staff and we are also responsible for ensuring there are enough GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians in the area.
The goals of improving the health status of the people of North Tyneside and their experience of an integrated, seamless service, cannot be achieve by the NHS working alone. The health sector is also a major contributor to the local economy in a number of ways - it is one of the largest employers, it has major capital assets, it has significant purchasing power and is a major contributor towards training, development and research. It is vital that the health sector forms partnerships to pursue shared objectives. The NTSP is key to helping achieve these partnerships.
