Inequalities in health and wellbeing across the UK: a local North-East perspective

Abstract

This chapter identifies the challenges facing the North-East from a population health perspective, and the implications for the area of the contemporary context of the reductions in funding that widen health inequalities and create challenges in the labour market. It considers the potential benefits of building new approaches that address these challenges using community assets, place-based, targeted, collaborative approaches and are based heavily on community ownership, participation, and voice. The chapter then reviews the responses of local authorities in the North-East to reduced central government funding, examining key issues such as supporting vulnerable groups. It also highlights local authority and community responses and innovation approaches to supporting people via health and wellbeing strategies. This review takes account of the critical socio-economic issues arising from the Brexit process and during the 'end of austerity', particularly with respect to the North-East region of the United Kingdom.