Consultations in East Sussex

East Sussex County Council worked with a range of health, care and voluntary sector partners, to conduct a joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and other sexual and gender identity minorities (LGBTQ+). We wanted to understand LGBTQ+ local people’s experiences of health, accessing local services and about how COVID-19 has impacted them.

The findings from the survey that formed part of the needs assessment will help us improve services locally.

The report can be viewed on our JSNA website.

The JSNA made a wide range of recommendations. These included further engagement with LGBTQ+ communities, to increase the knowledge and uptake of a range of services and to collect further insight on how these communities experience these services. A number of recommendations are also outlined, aimed at increasing inclusion and awareness of LGBTQ+ people and their needs in a wide range of health and care services. The report also made five specific recommendations on Trans healthcare. Finally, recommendations were made in relation to increasing the monitoring and data collection of LGBTQ+ people in services.

Over the summer we consulted on our plans for sexual health services in East Sussex ready for the new contract in October 2022.

The aim was to make sure that the proposed service model would provide easy access to services that meet people’s needs. It was important to hear people’s views as the service model has changed significantly in the last few years due to digital innovation and COVID-19.

People were concerned that some groups of people may find it more difficult to access the service. 

In response to the consultation feedback, the service specification has been adapted to allow two drop-in triage clinics for all ages at each clinic site in Hastings and in Eastbourne. This is in recognition of people who are digitally excluded, do not have phones, or rely on limited phone credit or are genuinely unable to access their GP.

East Sussex County Council’s SEND team commissioned a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) of the local area to find out what was going well for children, young people and their families and what could be improved. The outcome of the review will help the team, working with partners, to develop a strategy for 2022-24 which puts in place improvements and build on the successes.

The report can be viewed on our JSNA website.

After reviewing the current position across education, health and social care provision and services, the JSNA made recommendations for improvements including prioritising prevention, early identification and intervention; improving processes and capacity of services with the longest waiting time for assessment and treatment; and improving access to, and increasing provision for mental health support. The report also highlighted areas where the ISEND service can build on successes including the continuing efforts to ensure the involvement of children, young people and their families in the development of provision and SEND training in schools.

As well as informing the SEND strategy, the outcome of the JSNA will help East Sussex County Council and partners set joint commissioning priorities, ensuring the appropriate support is in place for children and young people across East Sussex.