Dr Lester Coleman from Healthwatch Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV and Hove added: “The evidence provided by Health Counts is of extreme value to the Council and all partners who are working towards implementing Integrated Care Teams and Neighbourhood Health Teams, which will both respond to local population needs. The user testing which we led (involving diverse communities) contributed to a survey that generated an exceptional number of respondents across the city.
Healthwatch Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV and Hove will use the findings from Health Counts to support our engagement work, planning and constructive challenge to health and social care services.”
The study also discovered significant differences from previous census data, revealing a higher-than-expected proportion of the city's population identifying as trans, non-binary, or intersex (5%) and LGBQ+ (28%).
Caroline Vass, Director of Public Health for Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV & Hove City Council, said, “This research demonstrates the power of working collaboratively with academic research and health and wellbeing organisations to reach communities and involve residents in developing local strategies.
“We are committed, alongside our partners in the NHS and community and voluntary sector, to use this deeper understanding to maintain and improve health and wellbeing for everyone across our city and tackle inequalities.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone in the city who completed the survey. By sharing information about your health and wellbeing, you can change how local services are provided. We would also like to thank all our partners, community groups, and volunteers who were involved in leading this work. By working together to gather evidence, we can create a healthier community for all.”
Health Counts 2024 was led by the University of Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV, together with NHS Sussex, Healthwatch Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV and Hove, Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV and Sussex Medical School, and the Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV and Hove Federation. The survey was funded by the public health team at Âé¶¹´«Ã½AV & Hove City Council.