Session 3 - Health Needs Assessment

Listen to others and value the diversity of opinions in the group Be constructive Value the differences; there are no rights or wrongs, no good or bad Be open and honest Keep to agreed time, especially start and finish Mobile phones! o (extracted from, Working with Groups. General Improvement Skills. Modernisation Agency) Ground Rules

Discuss the concept of need and how it is defined. Explain the importance of developing needs led projects / activities. Discuss the importance of engaging and involving communities in health needs assessment. Examine the purpose of a health needs assessment. Explain the Health Needs Assessment process. Examine practical health needs assessments that have been carried out in Leeds. Outline of session

A Health Needs Assessment can be a useful tool in this process through targeting services and support towards the most disadvantaged groups. A main government aim is to reduce health inequalities.

Felt and expressed needs are defined by the population, community or individuals. Normative needs by those delivering services. Comparative needs by managers and commissioners. What is need

The planning and commissioning of services should be from a needs led approach (What service does our population need…) Rather than: a service led approach (how can our population use the services we have)

“A Health Needs Assessment is a systematic method for reviewing the health issues facing a population, leading to agreed priorities and resource allocation that will improve health and reduce health inequalities.” NICE Definition of Health Needs Assessment

To understand the health needs of your population. IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS Why carry out a HNA?

A tool to provide evidence about a population. Address health inequalities. An opportunity to engage with specific populations. An opportunity to target service planning & resource allocation. An opportunity for cross – sector partnership working. Develop a health strategy that is responsive to patient’s needs. Promote evidence based practice. Why carry out a HNA

Systematic Population based An approach used to find out about health issues Health Needs Assessment is......

The steps for a health needs assessment used in the session come from: A Health Needs Assessment tool, developed by Candia Allen, Public Health Nurse Facilitator The tool can be accessed at via the following web link: ment/ edcf e65dddbba8/ b4a3c1b00af59b534fe3632b/guide+final+(6)+ed.pdfhttp:// ment/ edcf e65dddbba8/ b4a3c1b00af59b534fe3632b/guide+final+(6)+ed.pdf What is need

1.Getting started, establishing aims, objectives & a project framework. 2.Building a picture of your community. 3.Feeding-back the evidence. 4.Action planning. 5.Moving on / review. Steps to HNA

- Define population. E.g All people living in Beeston. - Define subpopulation group. E.g Children under 5 & their families. - Reasons why this group has been chosen. Clear aims & objectives for the project need to be identified. Who needs to be involved. Identify key stakeholders for HNA. Decide who will do the HNA. - Adequate resources to conduct HNA. - Be aware of Government Health policy & key objectives for improving health. Step 1 – getting started

COFFEE

Map existing community strengths, resources and services. Involvement of key stakeholders. Collect data. 1) Secondary data. 2) Primary data, new data that you and your colleagues will collect. Step 2: Building a picture of your Community

Collecting secondary data: District profiles and statistical information can be accessed on the following websites: Examine existing local research that has been done. E.g. studies done by statutory / voluntary organisations. Community practitioners practice profiles. Step 2: Building a picture of your Community

Collecting primary data by: a. Market research Quantitative surveys Focus groups Interviews with users and others b. Democratic methods Meeting people in their own groups Stakeholder conferences Consultation workshops Public meetings Step 2: Building a picture of your Community

c. Rapid Appraisal o Written records o Interviews from a range of informants o Observations made in neighbourhoods or interviews in homes d. Participative community research o All of the above (as in rapid appraisal) but includes using local people as researchers. e. Consultation o Service users o Carers o Representatives

List your main findings in order of importance ? Detailed report to professionals and summary to the community Find appropriate neutral places for dialogue to take place Make sure that data is not misinterpreted or misrepresented Avoid jargon and confusion in language Commit to action plan to take recommendations forward Step 3: Feeding-back the evidence

Formulate a plan of action with time scales. Keep the plan on track. Keep people motivated and enthusiastic. Have regular progress meetings Capture what is happening - on paper, photo, tape…... Step 4: Action Planning

Evaluation must involve an honest description of what happened It is not meant to prove that everything went brilliantly But to celebrate successes Share difficulties encountered Step 5: Moving on review

PDSA Cycle ref Langley et al 1996

Peer review of health needs assessments that have been carried out in Leeds In groups, using the checklist review the health needs assessment provided. Group Work

What were the outcomes? How effective were they? Are they reaching the target population? Were there any negative effects? Review the data collection method. Health Impact Assessment