Community Profile - Community Health Learning Tool

(Adapted from ‘The Windshield Survey’, Anderson ET, McFarlane J: Community as client: application
of the nursing process, Philadelphia. 1998, JB Lippincott)

This survey is a learning tool to help you understand the community you are working in. There is
much evidence to support how a person’s health and well-being can be affected by their community
and living conditions.

Move around as much of the community as possible to see, smell, touch, hear or even taste what it is
like in this community. Make notes under each box and be ready to have a discussion in class about
the learning you have had. This can form part of your evidence for completion of the formative
assignment.

Element Description

Boundaries/ What are the physical boundaries? Where

Neighbourhood does the neighbourhood begin and end?
Housing
What type of housing is there? Is it private,
rental, social housing. What about the size, is it
detached, flats, apartments, semi’s?
What is the state of repair?
What is the architecture like?
Are utilities good/bad i.e.
water/electric/gas/phone land-lines/TV
aerial/broadband/satellite/cable
Any evidence of crime/vandalism?
Shopping Are there any local shops? How can residents access shops if none
in area? What type of shops are there?
Transport
What types of transport are available? Are the systems
regular and reliable?
Is there enough parking? Is the public
transport system safe i.e. bus stops, stations?
Do locals have far to walk to public transport?
Open/Recreational Are there any local parks/ playgrounds? What is
Areas/Community there state of repair? Are they used by the
facilities target groups?
What open space is there around
housing/gardens/shared ground.
Are there any local pubs/clubs/children’s
centres/restaurants etc
Where can locals go for exercise?
Hazards Are there any noticeable
hazards/roads/parking/lack of streetlights/no
pedestrian crossing/poor pavement
repair/waste not in appropriate areas etc.
Street people What are the people like on the streets?
Mothers &
babies/teenagers/groups/individuals/elderly?
What classes do they represent?
Are there any officials such as
police/community /social workers?
 Pets/animals Are there any strays/guard dogs? What type of
pets are kept? Are they suitable for
environment? What facilities for walking dogs
etc. are there?
Race/ethnicity Are any particular groups represented? Do they
have local facilities for their needs? Any
information/signs in other languages? Do
different communities mix?
Religion Are there any churches/places of worship
represented?
Services Is there a job centre/social care
service/fire/police/child care facilities?
Health Services What are the local health
services/GP’s/dentists/hospitals/day
centres? How far away are services and is
transport good?
Health and Is there evidence of drug/alcohol abuse. Any
Morbidity local communicable disease? Mental
illness/services for well-being. Any smoking
risks? Any road safety/accident blackspots?
Is there access to healthy food/fruit/veg?
Schools What type of schools are local? Are they public
schools/state/private. Do they serve a particular
age group?
Politics Are there any visible signs of local
politics/posters etc?
What is the local political opinion? Which
political party is the majority/minority?

Boundaries/ What are the physical boundarie’s. Where does the

Neighbourhood neighbourhood begin and end?

Notes:

The physical boundaries’ are between Harrow on the Hill train station and Harrow Wealdstone
station.

Harrow and Wealdstone The Inn shop Asda store, Banks, Building societies, community centre,
shopping centre take away food shops library closed down local police station (Harrow and
Wealdstone) Harrow Civic Centre. Job centre

Houses then Harrow on the Hill begins.

Harrow on the hill St Ann’s shopping centre, St George’s shopping centre, Banks Building societies
hardware stores restaurants post office pubs Northwick park Hospital local park. Restaurants take
away food shops, Local food shops. Gym
 Housing

What type of housing is there? Is it private, rental,

social housing. What about the size, is it detached,
flats, apartments, semi’s?

What is the state of repair?

What is the architecture like?

Are utilities good/bad ie water/electric/gas/phone

land-lines/TV aerial/broadband/satellite/cable

Any evidence of crime/vandalism?

Notes:

Notes: The types of accommodation that are present in Harrow are Bed and Breakfast

Flats, private accommodation, Housing association, temporary accommodation , social housing.

A typical detached house at the price of £ 639,950

Reception hall (11’4x8’6(34.5mx2.59m)

Through lounge (19’8x13’10 (5.99mx4.22m)

Windows at front radiators laminated upvc double glazed French doors to rear.

Kitchen (16’10x6’9(15.13m x 2.06m)

Landing

Bedroom 1 (16’x8’5 (4.88mx2.57m)

Bedroom 2 (13’10x 7’5 (4.22m x 2.26m)

Bedroom 3 (10’4x10’ (3.15m x 3.05m)

Bathroom/ wc (8’x 6’10 (2.44m x 2.08m)

Fully fitted walls suit comprising panelled , bath with mixer taps, shower over wash basin in vanity
unity with mirror taps: low flush w.c celling, spotlight radiator UPVC double glazed windows to rear
ceramic tiled floor

.The structure of housing looks very strong. The residents has the necessary items for example water
gas electricity, phone tv broadband as this is no longer a luxury, but necessity.
 Shopping Are there any local shops? How can residents access shops if none in
area? What type of shops are there?

Notes:

The local shops that are in Harrow are super markets, shops, markets, department stores for
example Debenhams, Next, Superdrug, Asda then there is the local VUE cinema. Pound land,
Mothercare. Wenzle’s Greggs speck savers Marks and Spencer’s Tesco local WHSmiths post office
Gold’s Gym

Residents are able to access the shops to and from Harrow to Harrow Wealdstone via transport:
buses train car.

Transport What types of transport are available? Are the

systems regular and reliable?

Is there enough parking? Is the public transport

system safe i.e. bus stops, stations?

Do locals have far to walk to public transport?

Notes:

The transport that are available are buses trains and the cars. The transport are regular running
every minute, which are very reliable and there are alternative buses if there are bus delays or a
tube strike.

There are sufficient parking for shoppers especially in the town centre, there are places where there
is off parking, there are spaces for parking at the parking meter or there is the car park in the
shopping centre.

Public transport are safe, and the shopping centres are walking distance of the train station also
from the bus stops.
 Open/Recreational Are there any local parks/ playgrounds? What is
Areas/Community there state of repair? Are they used by the target
facilities groups?

What open space is there around

housing/gardens/shared ground?

Are there any local pubs/clubs/children’s

centres/restaurants etc.

Where can locals go for exercise?

Notes: There are local parks in the area which are very big and well maintained’

Harrow has more than 60 areas of parkland and open spaces, which covers more than hectares
which is =4000000square metres

One fifth of the parks in the Borough is green belt, beautiful open space and characteristics.

In Harrow, there are five parks which has been chosen for their beauty and the maintenance that go
along with it.

These have been managed under a scheme known as the benchmark national standard, which has
also been awarded the Green Flag Status.

These parks are :

Roxeth Recreation Ground

Canons Park

Harrow Recreation Ground

Pinner Memorial Park

Kenton Recreation Park

Open spaces that are around the houses are allotments

There are 21,000 highway trees in Harrow, which over 3,000 of them including are in parks and open
spaces.

There are local pubs in both Harrow and Harrow Wealdstone, the children Centres is based in
Northolt Road. Harrow

There are a variety of eating places where locals and those traveling into Harrow can sit down to eat
a decent meal, in St Anns there are mainly food halls on the upstairs level of the shopping centre.

These are: KFC Subway, Pizza Hut, Mexican food , Nandos , Mc Donald’s Burger King In For exercise
the locals can go for walks in the spacious parks or there are few gyms the centre
 Hazards Are there any noticeable
hazards/roads/parking/lack of streetlights/no
pedestrian crossing/poor pavement repair/waste
not in appropriate areas etc.

Notes:

Pavement that sticks up from the ground,

Blind spot a few yards from the nursery

There are more waste in inappropriate places in Harrow and Wealdstone rather than Harrow on the
Hill

Street people What are the people like on the streets? Mothers &
babies/teenagers/groups/individuals/elderly?

What classes do they represent?

Are there any officials such as police/community

/social workers?

Notes:

Street people , mainly mothers and toddlers rushing up and down the high street shopping

Teenagers loitering around the shops and pubs at times or they will sometimes be trying on clothing
in the local shops for example Next New Look the teenagers will often be in groups and on other
Occasion’s will be with a small crowd especially boarding the bus with their friend coming from
school. or University.

For individual people, they will be shopping, going to their place of work, busking, begging.

The elderly will be pulling their trolley basket of carrying their shopping bags as usual keeping busy.

There are a wide mixture of class within Harrow, there are the rich that does not know what to do or
buy for themselves nor their children, then there are the shopper just trying to fit in with their
friend’s , then there is the poor class people with their begging cups .

The officials that are in the area are the street wardens , the police if you are lucky to see them and
the bus drivers and inspecters.

Pets/animals Are there any strays/guard dogs? What type of pets

are kept? Are they suitable for environment? What
facilities for walking dogs etc. are there?

Notes: in Harrow and Harrow Wealdstone the dogs are often on a lead with their owner’s

There are guide dogs that as normal walk with the owner.

The park are often used for walking the dogs if not the streets.

Race/ethnicity Are any particular groups represented? Do they

have local facility

es for their needs? Any information/signs in other

languages? Do different communities mix?
o Notes: Afro Caribbean’s Romanians, Black British as myself
o White British, Asians , Chinese, Spanish, Polish, Arabic , African , Basically Harrow is
very multicultural when it comes to the community. Harrow 's population is one of the
most diverse nationally. 31.9% of
o . residents stated that they were White-British, with 69.1% of residents coming from
minority ethnic groups.
o 26.4% of Harrow 's residents are of Indian origin, the largest minority ethnic group. Harrow
is also home to the country's largest Sri Lankan born community.

Religious diversity is strong in Harrow with the highest number (and proportion) of Hindu
followers in the country (25.3%) and the highest number of Jains (2.2%). Harrow 's Jewish
community is the sixth largest nationally. 37.3% of residents are Christians and 12.5% are
Muslims.
The communities do mix and it is evident in Harrow International Christian Centre (HICC)
which is a multicultural church one faith but hosts over 40
different nations.

Religion Are there any churches/places of worship

represented?

Notes:

There are churches, mosques, temples ,that cater for the needs of the residents

The communities of Harrow do mix and it is evident at Harrow International Christian

Centre (HICC) which is a multicultural church one faith but hosts over 40
different nations.,
Religious diversity is strong in Harrow with the highest number (and proportion) of Hindu
followers in the country (25.3%) and the highest number of Jains (2.2%). Harrow 's Jewish
community is the sixth largest nationally. 37.3% of residents are Christians and 12.5% are
Muslims.

Services Is there a job centre/social care

service/fire/police/child care facilities?

Notes: There is a job centre which is situated near Harrow Civic Centre, and another one in Harrow
on the Hill. The local fire station is based in Northolt
 Health Services What are the local health
services/GP’s/dentists/hospitals/day centres? How
far

Away are services and is transport good?

Notes: The local hospital is Northwick Park Hospital which is walking distance to the nursery, there is
a dentist on the same road and a few more in Harrow as well as Wealdstone.

The service are all nearby each other and transport including mini cab facilities are very reliable.

Health and Morbidity Is there evidence of drug/alcohol abuse? Any local

communicable disease? Mental illness/services for
well-being. Any smoking risks? Any road
safety/accident blackspots?

Is there access to healthy food/fruit/veg?

Notes: there are evidence of drug abuse by the type of youth that are moving about in the area also
the visual signs of silver canisters or just the activity that is carrying on.

Alcohol abuse are present by observation of the users congregating on the bench with the brown
paper bag with their drink in it

There are mental health cases in the community as they are often visible how they carry on.

Services that are provided for the wellbeing of residents are

Paiwand: Afghan Association Harrow Association of Disabled People

Harrow Age UK

Carramea, supporting hardship Harrow Carers Harrow Council Harrow Men cap Harrow Mind

Schools What type of schools are local? Are they public

schools/state/private. Do they serve a particular age
group?
Notes: the schools that are available in the area are primary schools secondary HIGH Schools and a
boy’s public school, called Churchill

The high schools are normally from the age of 11 years old to 18 years old depending on the child’s
birthday.

Harrow Boys School is a public school only for boys. This is the school that Sir Winston Churchill
attended as a boy. Harrow boys school is prestigious which takes up to 700-800 boys a year.

Politics Are there any visible signs of local politics/posters

etc?

What is the local political opinion? Which political

party is the majority/minority?

Notes:

Normally signs that are visible are Labour party, most of the Harrow and Brent borough support
Labour party as they are fed up with the other parties not fulfilling their promises