NHS Top Trumps

Using a game to understand relative strengths and weaknesses

Tables and maps don’t make it easy to understand the strengths and weaknesses of different areas of the country

When you play Top Trumps, you quickly get to understand what’s good and what’s bad

Children’s mental health

Data from https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile-group/mental-health/profile/cypmh/data

Scores that include extremes to make a more interesting game:

• Hospital admissions as a result of self-harm (10-24 years)
• School pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs: % of school pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs (School age)
• Average difficulties score for all looked after children aged 5-16 who have been in care for at least 12 months on 31st March
• Children in need due to parent disability or illness: rate per 10,000 children under 18
• Percentage of regular drinkers at age 15
• Spend (£000s) on Safeguarding children and young people's services: rate (£) per 10,000 aged 0-17

What we learned

Some data about local areas is generated from national averages

NHS uses different geographies which makes it hard to compare data

How to use Python to read data and create files

How to write SVG to create images

How to create SVG images of areas from KML