To note and use Understanding Herefordshire as the overall evidence of need to inform business planning, decision-making and commissioning.

‘Understanding Herefordshire’ our population needs assessment is produced to ensure that future decisions on service priorities, planning and commissioning are based on what we understand about the key issues and long-term challenges in Herefordshire. It is a resource for use by the public sector, voluntary sector and the independent sector to inform decision making to ensure the needs of the population are responded to.  As an evidence base it can be used to inform the process for budget decision making and obtaining funding to meet need in the county (from government, the EU and investment by the private sector in the county).

We have developed a health and wellbeing strategy based on the needs assessment and through engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and communities we have developed a health and wellbeing strategy. This sets out the vision and strategic direction for public sector partners in collaboration with the independent sector, voluntary sector and communities to improve the health and wellbeing of the population over the next five years.  It provides an overarching framework for commissioning and service planning across the local public sector system. The health and wellbeing strategy sets out the vision and the five year approach to providing and commissioning the shared priorities for improving the health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities in the population. It provides an overarching framework for commissioning and service planning across local health, social care and voluntary.