The strategy seeks to address some of the main challenges identified in the Devon Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) below and provides some areas of focus for the next 3 years.
- An ageing population resulting in an increase in demand for services
- New towns and growth in existing towns with a younger population profile and different health and wellbeing needs providing an opportunity for a different approach
- Financial pressures requiring a different solution to improving health and wellbeing
- Complex organisational configuration
- Rurality and access to services impacting on the model of care and support
- A high quality outdoor environment but poor quality indoor environment in some areas due to poor housing
- Below average earnings and high cost of living and housing impacting on poverty, fuel poverty, homelessness and mental health
- The need to focus on prevention and living well at all ages to improve health in later life and address the 10-15 year inequalities gap
- Mental health and the focus on groups and places where outcomes are poor
- Social isolation and loneliness particularly in older people, certain groups and isolated places
- Changing patterns of health-related behaviour particularly in the young
- Long-term conditions and multi-morbidity and the impact on health in later life and the need for services to adapt to multiple conditions
- Growing levels of severe frailty and onset of pre-frailty at a younger age due to health inequalities providing an opportunity to act early
- A diverse population. Inequality takes many forms and can be hidden
The full JSNA is available on www.devonhealthandwellbeing.org.uk/jsna and local are profiles have been developed. The Health and Wellbeing Library contains all published Health Needs Assessments developed in response to local need and challenges to support local commissioning and decision making. http://www.devonhealthandwellbeing.org.uk/library/needs-assessments/