Ageing Well in Northumberland

07 Mar 2024

In her first report since taking over as Northumberland’s Director of Public Health, Gill O’Neill highlights the positive aspects to ageing whilst also recognising that there are significant variations in resident’s experiences of ageing. 

Each year Directors of Public Health in England have a statutory duty to write an Annual Public Health Report on the health of the local population.   The report is a vehicle for informing local people about the health of their community, as well as providing necessary information for commissioners and providers of health and wellbeing services of issues and priorities that need to be addressed.   

Recommendations in the report include: 
- Promoting a strengths-based narrative on ageing well and seeing the great contribution we can make in our later years.  
- Considering ways to embed ageing well in all areas of work, taking a ‘whole systems’ approach.  
- Continuing to support and promote the Ageing Well Network, which brings together organisations to share best practice and support one another.  
- Continuing to monitor available data related to healthy ageing. 
- Identifying opportunities to hear the voices of older adults in Northumberland’s diverse communities.  
- Continuing to pursue an Assed Based Community Development approach, appreciating there are solid foundations to build on in Northumberland.  

Gill O’Neill said: “I am delighted to share my first annual report which focuses on ageing well. Northumberland is a beautiful place to live, work, socialise and grow old. Yet often people focus on the difficulties of having an ageing population and the cost to health and social care, rather than considering our older population as an asset. 

“We must focus on equity of access to services across our rural county to ensure fairness. However, there is some great work already underway in Northumberland. In this report, I wanted to shine a light on how to maintain positive health and wellbeing in later years and how, as local stakeholders working with our communities, we can shift the balance towards connected communities and people’s ability to live well and happy lives.” 

The report highlighted three areas of work to focus on:  
- Ensuring ageist attitudes and behaviours are challenged and stamped out across our institutions and communities.  
- Increasing awareness of the need for older adults to maintain strength and balance, which is crucial for staying mobile and reducing their risk of falls.  
- Combating social isolation. This will include improving transport connectivity to people, places, opportunities and services. 

Northumberland County Councillor Veronica Jones, Cabinet Member for Improving Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Northumberland has an older population compared with most other areas of England and our population projections suggest that older age groups are likely to grow over the coming years. 

“Supporting our residents to age well and live happy and healthy lives is a priority for us. And closing the gap in health inequalities is a key part of this challenge. 

“We know that these inequalities in healthy ageing are strongly determined by the social, geographical and economic circumstances that people experience from birth and throughout their life course. 

“This report explores what is already happening in Northumberland and helps us to see what good work we can build on to support our residents to live long and healthy lives.” 

The report can be found in full here - https://bit.ly/3V3NeUt