title: Community participation in determining the needs of users and carers of rural community care services. Highland Community Care Forum.
abstract: In this paper we present the methods and key outcomes of a community led needs assessment exercise. The needs assessment sought to enhance the development of rural community care services by ensuring the views of users and carers were secured and considered in joint planning processes. The research was developed by members of the North and West Sutherland Community Care Forum. A community profiling template was developed and employed in five parish areas of Sutherland. This was drawn from 45 interviews with key informants and 2 community workshops, In addition 54 users and carers were interviewed. The outcomes of the needs assessment exercise identified geographical and cultural factors which present difficulties in developing services as well as posing barriers to user involvement.
authors.affiliation: Scotland Highland Community Care Forum, 1 Ardross Street, Inverness IV35 5NN.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003256:Community Participation; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012423:Rural Health; D012606:Scotland