THE poor health of people in the North-East will be addressed by a regional health summit next week.

The event, in Darlington, will look at progress since the first health summit a year ago and aims to find ways of improving both physical and mental health.

It will bring together a number of regional stakeholders who will work together on a variety of issues, including social and community networks, living and working conditions, education, cultural and environmental conditions and lifestyle.

Six workshops will be presented by Healthy Living Centres from across the North-East.

The New Opportunities Fund has provided more than £18m to support 24 of the centres' projects in the region, which promote good health and wellbeing.

The projects include a range of activities, including schemes to address teenage pregnancy, sexual health, exercise, education, money worries, drugs and alcohol and isolation.

At the conference, a video link will be set up with Hazel Blears MP, Minister for Public Health, and key speakers will be Dr Bill Kirkup, regional director of public health, Professor Don Nutbeam, head of public health for the Department of Health, and Professor John Watson from the University of Nottingham.

The event has been organised by the North-East Assembly, the Health Development Agency, the Government Office for the North East, One NorthEast and the Northern and Yorkshire Public Health Observatory.