Councillors have highlighted worries over poverty and alcohol consumption as key health issues to be addressed in Sunderland. It came following a presentation on the 2021/22 annual report of Gerry Taylor, the city council’s director of public health, titled “Same Boat, Different Storms.”
It looked at how the pandemic has had lasting impacts on areas such as mental health, educational attainment, employment and pay levels and, coupled with the cost of living crisis, is pushing more people into poverty. Communities were praised for showing “a great deal of resilience and spirit throughout this period”, but there were warnings over “many challenges” in the coming years.
Recommendations from the report include focusing on reducing inequalities, building on work with diverse and under-represented groups, continuing to provide local welfare support schemes and aiding children. The findings came before the city council health and wellbeing board on Monday (July 11), with councillors praising the work but highlighting numerous areas of concern moving forward.
