Media Release Issued

Eastern Health just distributed the following media release regarding the needs assessment:

Eastern Health Conducts Community Health Needs Assessment for Discovery Zone

January 21, 2010 – St. John’s, NL – Eastern Health today announced it will be conducting a community health needs assessment in the Discovery Zone, also known as Economic Zone 15. The areas under review are the Bonavista to Port Blandford to Swift Current to Chapel Arm area.

Local community organizations, service providers and partners of Eastern Health will be invited to express opinions on the strengths and challenges facing their communities, priorities for service, and ideas about initiatives to enhance the health and well-being in their area.

“We have found that the needs assessments completed in other areas have been very well received,” says Michael O'Keefe, Board Chairperson for Eastern Health. “Eastern Health’s vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities emphasizes the importance of working with communities to identify needs and opportunities for partnerships.”

“As part of the process, we are inviting people in the area to express an interest on sitting on an Advisory Committee,” says Mr. O’Keefe. “This committee will provide advice and feedback on the process that we use in the needs assessments.” Information about how to apply to be a member of the Advisory Committee is available at www.DiscoveryNeedsAssessment.blogspot.com. The blog was created to keep the public informed about the assessment.

Feedback from community residents will be sought through focus groups, key informant interviews and a telephone survey. Written and oral submissions are also welcome.

A community health needs assessment is an information tool that can help Eastern Health understand the health status, characteristics, perceptions and concerns of communities. Eastern Health has completed a number of needs assessments to date, including ones on the Burin Peninsula, the Southern Avalon and Bell Island. These reports are available on Eastern Health’s website at www.easternhealth.ca. An assessment of the Northeast Avalon is currently underway.

Picture:  Eastern Health VP Wayne Miller being interviewed by Packet reporter Laura Button.