An assessment of health and social care needs of children and young people in Kingston and Richmond Health Authority

The purpose of any health needs assessment exercise is to inform all those with direct and related responsibilities for the health of a particular population or group. In the case of the children of Kingston and Richmond, the planners, commissioners and providers of health, social and education services are likely to be front line users. However, the information gathered should be useful to a wider audience including, town planners, environmental services, police services and the courts, recreational planners and providers and a host of agencies beyond. The content of a needs assessment includes the widest trawl possible of all identifiable factual aspects, pertaining to the subject in question. These contribute to the creation of as comprehensive a profile of health needs as is possible, for this moment in time. The information is also used to indicate likely future directions, and actions needed to support further development of the profile. This work commenced with the production of a draft list. This was aimed at itemising and recording the prevalence of every factor, condition, or state of awareness which could impact upon the health of children. It involved the coming together of a wide spectrum of parties, from the health and local authorities, and providers of care, along with researchers. The creating of such a prevalence list is very useful. Not only does it assist in identifying the data needed to describe a particular issue, but it is particularly good at identifying gaps and weaknesses in the data currently available. The subject areas presented in this report have resulted from in depth review, by the participants, of the profile of health needs as it emerged. What is here, generally, mirrors what is available. What is not here is also interesting. That is because many opportunities were identified for significant enhancement of the information base, through relatively small additions and adjustments to the methods of collection. Similarly there is more potential information to be had by following through some of the baselines established here.