North Tyneside lies north of the river Tyne and is the area to the east of Newcastle, towards the coast. It includes the towns of North Shields and Wallsend, areas which are known for their fishing and shipbuilding heritage. Nowadays much of this industry has disappeared and the area is undergoing substantial regeneration.

There are six GP practices, all from the North Shields and Wallsend area, participating in the project. This covers a population of approximately 45,000. There are seven participating community pharmacies - from independent to local and national chain. All the trained pharmacists are committed to delivering a high standard of pharmaceutical care to the patients in their communities - some of the pharmacists have already been involved in a Health Action Zone self-care project and also in providing smoking cessation advice.