Community Health Needs and Resources Assessment Update
Western Health today provided an update on the Community Health Needs and Resources Assessment.
The assessment began in 2016 with a survey completed by 712 residents throughout the region. Summary reports for seven local Primary Health Care areas and the region are now available on Western Health’s website. The results of the survey will be used to determine priorities, help plan programs and services, and inform the organization’s strategic plan.
“We thank everyone who participated in this survey and for their continued contribution to the assessment process,” said Dr. Susan Gillam, CEO of Western Health. “People have given us important feedback on a broad range of health and community services including the programs and services offered by Western Health.”
Respondents indicated their top three community concerns to be alcohol and/or drug abuse, unemployment, and care of the older person. The top three health concerns identified were cancer, mental health, and addictions. While overall comments indicated concerns with access to a variety of health services, many respondents reported that one of the strengths of living in the Western region is community belonging.
“Western Health recognizes that health is a shared responsibility and that input from residents and community stakeholders in health planning is important and necessary,” said Darla King, Regional Director of Community Health. “We will use the survey results to help understand how we can continue to work with individuals, communities and partner organizations to move forward and determine our goals for the next three years.”
For more information about the Community Health Needs and Resources Assessment, visit Western Health’s website at www.westernhealth.nl.ca.
-30-
Media contact:
Tara Pye
Director of Communications (Acting)
Western Health
709-637-5252
tarajpye@westernhealth.nl.ca
Backgrounder:
A community health needs and resource assessment (CHNRA) is a method to identify key health needs, community issues and assets through collecting and analyzing information about communities and the people that live in them. Western Health uses CHNRAs to help prioritize, plan and act on unmet community needs to improve the health of residents of the Western region.
Western Health’s CHNRA process uses a mixed methods approach to compile data on the community health needs and resources, which includes the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. There are four components of the CHNRA: the health needs of the region are determined through the dissemination of the CHNRA survey; public feedback is obtained through focus groups; the health status of Western region community residents is assessed through data from various statistical sources and relevant regional reports; and a list of community assets is compiled in consultation with Community Advisory Committees (CACs), Western Health staff, key stakeholders and community members. The CHNRA is an ongoing process that is completed over a six year cycle. Information obtained in each component is used by Western Health in service planning on an ongoing basis.
The Western region includes communities from Port aux Basques, southeast to Francois, northwest to Bartlett’s Harbour, and on the eastern boundary north to Jackson’s Arm. The region is divided into the following Primary Health Care areas:
• Corner Brook/Bay of Islands
• Deer Lake/White Bay
• Port aux Basques
• Burgeo/Ramea
• Bay St. George
• Bonne Bay
• Port Saunders