Harrow Council has taken a lead in producing an Oral Health Needs Assessment for the borough. This Assessment joins other plans and in depth reviews on health in the borough including the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment and Tobacco Needs Assessment.
The Assessment provides an overview of the population of Harrow, wider denominates of health including food poverty and deprivation, lifestyles and behaviours including toothbrushing, diet, breastfeeding, cancer risk factors, tobacco and alcohol use. The assessment also includes the findings from Queen Mary University of London report on 0-5-year-old oral health in Harrow and mapping of local services.
While there have been many initiatives designed to improve oral health in Harrow in recent years, the report shows that there remains considerable need among people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), looked after children, rough sleepers, refugees and asylum seekers and older adults in care homes. The socio-economic and environmental factors affecting the most vulnerable residents included lack of access to healthy food and language barriers.
While many residents report good experiences of accessing dental care, this is variable for those with additional needs and this risks increasing health inequalities.
The report finishes with a series of recommendations based on the principle of proportionate universalism, to provide all residents of Harrow the opportunity to improve their oral health, while also reducing health inequalies.
- Enhance integration and collaboration
- Extend the Harrow Oral Health Promotion offer
- Address and overcome risk factors and the wider determinants of oral health
- Improve NHS Dentistry access
- Optimise delivery of NHS Dentistry
- Advance intelligence and research
- Advocate for change beyond the scope of this Needs Assessment
The full report and survey are available on the Harrow Joint Strategic Needs Assessment webpage.
