Supporting Healthier Communities Together: How Age UK North Tyneside Aligns with the NHS

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan places greater emphasis on prevention, community-based support, and helping people remain independent for longer, recognising that good health starts long before a hospital admission or medical intervention is needed.

At Age UK North Tyneside and EveryDay, this approach has always been central to our work.

We support older people across North Tyneside to stay active, connected, confident, and independent in their own homes and communities. Through preventative services, wellbeing support, social connection, rehabilitation, and personalised care, we are helping to deliver many of the NHS priorities now shaping the future of health and care.

Group Chief Executive of Age UK North Tyneside, Dawn McNally OBE, said:

“Strong communities, early intervention, and preventative support are essential to helping people live well for longer.

At Age UK North Tyneside, we are proud to work alongside the NHS and local partners to provide services that keep older people connected, independent, and supported before needs escalate into crisis. Prevention changes lives, not only for older people themselves, but also for families, carers, and the wider health and care system.” 

Supporting the NHS Through Prevention

The NHS has identified a major shift “from sickness to prevention” as one of its key priorities for the next decade.

For Age UK North Tyneside and EveryDay, prevention means supporting people before a crisis happens.

Our services help older people maintain their physical health, emotional wellbeing, confidence, and independence. All of this is to not just support older people in our region, but also to reduce the risk of hospital admissions, social isolation, falls, and escalating health needs of our community.

Strength & Balance programmes

Our ICB-funded Strength & Balance programme supports older people to improve mobility, confidence, and physical strength, helping to reduce falls and maintain independence for longer.

Health & Wellness support

Our Health & Wellness services provide personalised support that helps individuals improve their physical and emotional wellbeing through social connection, practical guidance, and healthy lifestyle support.

Dementia support services

We provide specialist dementia support for individuals and families, helping people navigate diagnosis, reduce isolation, maintain independence, and access meaningful support within their community.

Carer wellbeing and respite support

Our carers services provide practical and emotional support, helping unpaid carers avoid burnout while maintaining their own health and wellbeing alongside their caring responsibilities.

Community wellbeing activities

From social groups to community-based activities, our wellbeing services help reduce loneliness and isolation while encouraging people to stay active, engaged, and connected.

Bringing Care Closer to Home

Bringing Care Closer to Home

A central ambition of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan is moving “from hospital to community”, delivering more care locally, in neighbourhoods and people’s homes rather than relying solely on hospital-based services.

This is where charities and community organisations play a vital role.

Age UK North Tyneside and EveryDay already work alongside NHS teams, local authorities, carers, and community partners to provide joined-up support that meets people where they are.

Our services bridge the gap between health, social care, and community support by helping older people:

• regain confidence after illness or hospital stays
• stay socially connected
• access personalised wellbeing support
• remain safe and independent at home
• maintain physical strength and mobility
• access practical support before problems escalate.
• This integrated, community-first approach reflects the NHS vision for more personalised and neighbourhood-based care.

In addition, we offer Step Down and Care Point discharge support for people following a hospital stay, helping them regain confidence and safely transition back into everyday life at home and within their community.

Kerry Parker, Executive Director of EveryDay Care & Support, said:

“EveryDay was created to deliver high-quality care and support that puts people at the centre of everything we do. Supporting people at home, within their communities, or in Extra Care Schemes leads to better living for individuals. 

Through close partnership working with the NHS, Local Authority and local organisations, we help people recover well, stay independent, and have access to the right support at the right time.”

Supporting Independence and Quality of Life

Remaining independent is about much more than healthcare alone.

The NHS increasingly recognises the importance of wider wellbeing factors, including housing, social connection, physical activity, confidence, and emotional wellbeing, in improving long-term health outcomes.

Through our services, we help older people continue doing the things that matter to them most.

Whether that is attending a Strength & Balance session, accessing support following a dementia diagnosis, receiving respite support as a carer, or reconnecting with others through community activities, our focus is always on helping people live well later in life.

Working in Partnership

Strong partnerships are essential to the future of health and care.

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan highlights the importance of collaboration between healthcare providers, local government, voluntary organisations, and community partners in building healthier communities.

Age UK North Tyneside and EveryDay are proud to work alongside the NHS and local partners across North Tyneside to support shared goals around prevention, early intervention, and community wellbeing.

Our Executive Director of Charity Services, Sonya Roe said:

“Our preventative and community-based services are a vital part of delivering the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan. By supporting older people to stay well, connected, and independent for longer, we reduce avoidable pressure on primary and acute care while improving quality of life across North Tyneside.

Every day, our teams work alongside the NHS and local partners to provide early interventions, personalised support, and meaningful social and physical connection, proving that when we invest in prevention, we create healthier communities and a more sustainable health and care system.”

Together, we are helping to create a future where older people can access the right support at the right time, reducing avoidable crises and improving experiences of care.

Looking Ahead

As demand on health and care services continues to grow, prevention and community support have never been more important.

The future of healthcare is not only about hospitals and treatment. It is about helping people stay healthier for longer, supporting independence, and ensuring communities have the right support around them.

That is the work Age UK North Tyneside and EveryDay deliver every day.

To learn more about our services and support available across North Tyneside, visit Age UK North Tyneside or EveryDay UK.