Health Needs Assessment for the 0-19 population in Nottingham City

• Nottingham Public Health/CityCare/Small Steps Big Changes (SSBC) are working in collaboration to invite bids from suitably qualified and experienced providers, to undertake a Health Needs Assessment for the 0-19 population. • This Health Needs Assessment will support the partners in their role of assessing and prioritising local population health needs. • SSBC are also interested in this area of work due to the impact of COVID-19 and a change in the ward boundaries during the 10 year funding period. This assessment will support all parties in ensuring that babies, children and young peoples needs are met at the earliest opportunity, and the ongoing development of Nottingham as a Child Friendly City, the local Start for Life Strategy and wider Best Start integrated commissioning plans. • A Health Needs Assessment is a systematic approach to understanding the needs of a population. The Health Needs Assessment can be used as part of the commissioning process so that the most effective support for those in the greatest need can be planned and delivered. Responding to a Health Needs Assessment provides an opportunity to improve outcomes where a population may be a group with a specific health need, school, cluster of schools, or a geographical community. • It is a holistic assessment considering social, economic, cultural and behavioural factors that influence health. In addition to readily available public health data, for example Child Health Profiles, a participatory approach should be adopted. It is important to recognise that there are different types of need, that some needs may be hidden and differing perspectives. • Understanding the community, and the needs that exist, enables commissioners to plan work to meet those needs. Additionally, the health needs assessment will enable commissioners and providers to work more closely together to ensure appropriate delivery. The requirement in Nottingham • The last desktop assessment of the health needs of children (0-5 years) was conducted in 2016 with various other Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNA) Chapters considering this cohort in brief. There has been a significant change in the landscape with a maturing integrated 0-19 years service; the development of the SSBC 'A Better Start' programme of activities; the creation of a new and evolving Family Hubs model and a commitment to become a UNICEF accredited Child Friendly City. Furthermore, with new census data and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic still being felt by communities, it is the right time to review the health needs of our population and understand where we do and do not meet their needs. • The Health Needs Assessment will help identify areas of focus for our continual improvement programme for 'Best Start' 0-19 years services and to guide how we prioritise and approach any opportunities to adopt the learning from the SSBC programme. • Lived experience is a key principle behind the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and a Health Needs Assessment provides that opportunity to listen and reflect on the views, attitudes and beliefs of parents and children, to ensure we have the correct offer. SSBC has placed 'parents in the lead' as a core principle and this work will build on that good practice to date. • For more information see: https://www.nottinghaminsight.org.uk/themes/health-and-wellbeing/joint-strategic-needs-assessment/ for past JSNA chapters.