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An overview of the health and wellbeing of the South Tyneside population. 

South Tyneside's population size has decreased 

• The 2021 Census provided the most comprehensive count of the population. Between censuses we are reliant on population estimates which draws on multiple data sources to the best guess of the age and sex structure of the population.  
• In South Tyneside, the population size has decreased by 0.2%, from around 148,100 in 2011 to 147,800 in 2021. The total population of England grew by 6.6%, increasing by nearly 3.5 million to 56,489,800. 
• The 2021 Census results showed that South Tyneside's population decreased from the 2011 census by 0.2%. In contrast, nearby areas like  a²Ô»å  saw their populations increase by around 7.1% and 4.1%, respectively, while others such as  a²Ô»å  had decreases of 2.1% and 0.5%, respectively. 

South Tyneside has an ageing population 

• In 2021, the median age in South Tyneside was 43 years old, compared to 40 for England. 
• In 2021, 21% of the population was aged 65 years and older. Based on 2018 ONS projections, this age group will make up 25% of the population by 2043. 

Nearly half of the South Tyneside population live in the top 20% most deprived areas in England 

• The more deprived areas tend to have a higher proportion of people aged under 16 years old and a lower proportion of people aged 65 plus. 
• In South Tyneside, 44% of residents live within the 20% most deprived areas in England. So, when the NHS England talk about the Core20Plus5, that core 20 for us that is nearly half our population. 

South Tyneside has relatively high proportions of population groups with complex needs 

• South Tyneside has significantly higher rates of violent crime, deaths from drug misuse and alcohol related hospital admissions compared to England. 
• The gap in employment rate for people with learning disabilities and the general population is significantly lower in South Tyneside.  
• Whilst the count is small (14), the proportion of adults released from prison who successfully engaged in substance misuse treatment (58%) is still significantly higher than the national average (37%). 

South Tyneside has significantly higher rates of children in relative low-income families 

• New data for 2021 / 22 estimates that 27.2% of children were living in relatively low-income families. This remains higher than the regional and national (19%) rates. Whilst the new data suggests relative poverty has come down, this still suggests over a quarter of children live in low-income families. 
• Providing the best start in life has long been a long-established aim of this ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú and the broader South Tyneside Partnership with the long-standing Best Start in Life Alliance and Strategy in place. It also one of the main outcomes to be achieved through the Health and Wellbeing Strategy as was highlighted as key priority by our communities.  

South Tyneside has significantly worse rates of key health-related behaviour 

• New data for 2021 / 22 indicates that the percentage of adults classified as overweight or obese has increased significantly to 76.3% and is now worse than the regional and national averages. 
• South Tyneside has significantly low rates of adults who are physically inactive and drink more than recommended levels of alcohol weekly.  
• The Health and Wellbeing Strategy has the outcome 'Safe and healthy places to live learn and work'. This ambition recognises that impact that creating an environment where being physically active, eating well, drinking less and not smoking are the default choices. This is a more preventative approach and should reach more people than commissioning specific services. 
• The Public Health team continue to deliver the Alcohol Strategy 'Getting the Measure Right', are also leading on the development of a physical activity strategy which include current initiatives such as the recently launched Junior Park Run and soon to be launched School Streets Programme. Delivered by Sustrans, the aim of this to create a safer, healthier, and happier area outside the school gates by the surrounding areas open only to people who are walking and wheeling during drop-off and pick-up hours.  

South Tyneside has similar smoking prevalence in adults to the national average 

• The local smoking prevalence has significantly reduced over the past ten years, from 23% in 2011. 
• Rates of smoking related morbidity and mortality continue to be significantly worse than the national average. 
• Touching on smoking further, it remains the leading cause of preventable mortality. Whilst our smoking prevalence continues to improve and is now similar to England, we continue to manage the long-term consequences of this addiction. Smoking related mortality and morbidity remain significantly higher than England.  
• Our focus now is supporting those long-term and more disadvantaged workers to quit or use less harmful nicotine products as well as continue with our partnership work to achieve our smoke-free ambitions. This includes piloting a stop smoking intervention with those individuals with Severe Mental illness jointly with ICB and CNTW and a stop smoking intervention with the STC routine and manual workforce with a view to expand to health & social care. 

South Tyneside has an increasing prevalence of school pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs

• New data for 2021 / 22 estimates that 4.3% of school pupils have social, emotional, and mental health needs. 
• In 2021 / 22, the rate of emergency hospital admissions for intentional self-harm in South Tyneside remained significantly worse than England. 
• Having good mental wellbeing, particular in young people, was identified as a key priority through our community insight research and achieving this is specified as one of our main outcomes of the refreshed Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  

There has been a decline in South Tyneside in the rate of all new STI diagnoses 

• New data in 2022 indicates there are still downward trends in all new STI diagnoses and new STI diagnoses excluding chlamydia in under 25-year-olds in South Tyneside.  
• Public health has a statutory responsibility to commission sexual health services. Following innovations by the Trust who are now providing more digital services, we are now reaching more people at a time of rising demands, preventing more costly health and care services. This is therefore an essential service which is vulnerable to unpredictable demands from circulation of new and existing STIs. 

South Tyneside has a similar prevalence of dementia compared to England 

• There are similar rates for dementia diagnoses, social isolation in adult social care users, and fall and hip fracture admissions for people aged 65 and over in South Tyneside.  
• The percentage of people aged 65 and over offered reablement services following discharge from hospital continues to be significantly higher than England. 
• Healthy ageing will be an ever-increasing issue given the demographic shift in the population. A new Healthy Ageing Alliance, underpinning our system wide partnerships, has been established. This brings together the long-term conditions and frailty agenda together to take a more holistic and preventative approach. This arrangement supports our initiatives such as our Age Friendly Communities Action Plan and Strategy. 

Life expectancy for both men and women have declined 

• In South Tyneside, the average life expectancy in 2018-20 was 76.4 years for men and 81.2 years for women. Three and two years lower than the England averages respectively. 
• Life expectancy is often used a proxy measure of the overall health of a population. Unfortunately, this has stagnated, a trend seen both nationally and in other western countries. However, in South Tyneside there has been a consistent decline for males which predates COVID-19 pandemic 
• As this is not an issue confined to South Tyneside, just perhaps more exaggerated here, there has been research into this phenomenon. A previous "...review by Public Health England identified some of the factors contributing to slowing improvements in life expectancy seen until 2017: increasing numbers of older people vulnerable to flu and other winter risks; slowing improvements in mortality from heart disease and stroke; widening inequalities; and rising death rates from accidental poisoning among younger adults (mainly due to drug misuse). It noted that the slowdown occurred across much of the population, at a time when health and social care services faced increasing demand and unprecedented financial pressures." 

Read the full Picture of Health report for 2023:

PDF:  Picture of Health 2023 (PDF) [1MB]

Publishing information

From: Public Health team

Published: 23 May 2024