Helping public health services make better informed decisions

National legislation and guidance require local authorities to regularly compile and analyse data that reflects the health and wellbeing of their communities. Far more than a check-box exercise, this data is vital in ensuring that the many different groups and demographics in a community are accurately represented in its health and wellbeing plans and receive the care that they need. 

There is no standard model or template for how this work should be undertaken and the results of this work are presented in a number of different formats and can cover a variety of topics. In Manchester, this work encompasses a wide range of area themes and health conditions - from children and older people to refugees and migrant groups, the homeless and Armed Forces veterans, to those with learning disabilities, mental health challenges and carers. The final outputs from this work, which are called a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), underpins the local authority’s public health and wellbeing approach.

How stakeholders view and use the JSNA

Manchester City Council commissioned ekosgen/GC Insight to complete a review of their JSNA to help them better understand how stakeholders across the city view and use the data and the insights it provides. As health and wellbeing touches every corner of society, the list of stakeholders was extensive, including those who contributed to current and previous JSNAs, service commissioners such as the Council and NHS, and relevant public health practitioners. We also consulted Council officers working across policy, strategy data and intelligence, and at grassroots supporting key groups and communities, and public advocacy and engagement groups, as well as a range of third sector non-profit organisations.

People across the city were keen to share their thoughts on the JSNA and very engaged and involved in the discussions, which highlighted the importance stakeholders place on the assessment.    

Our review of Manchester’s JSNA found that it is a valuable tool for tackling health inequalities at both strategic and operational levels. We also identified ways in which it could be updated and strengthened to provide even more benefit to the community. 

JSNA addresses health inequalities and helps staff improve knowledge

The research revealed that the JSNA has an important role in addressing health inequalities by supporting service planning and delivery, and helping staff improve their own knowledge. The added value of the JSNA is that it brings all the relevant data into one place and amplifies this with intelligence and insight from subject matter experts and wider research. 

However, with competing information widely available and information quickly becoming out of date, the JSNA can get lost in the wider picture and it becomes difficult, at times, for stakeholders to clearly see its beneficial role. For these reasons and others, the JSNA can be overlooked.   

It's therefore important to ensure that JSNA documents are accessible, openly available, and well promoted, so that people know what they are, what information they contain, and how to access and use them. Also, how they are developed is just as important as what is produced and can help ensure the JSNA is embedded in relevant services and activities across the city.

There is no standard approach to JSNA, which means it can be flexible to reflect local needs; however, guidance on how to develop a JSNA and what it should contain is limited and dated.

How your JSNA can better support public health 

Manchester’s review of the JSNA has given them a renewed focus and understanding of how they can take these valuable tools forward into future planning and commissioning cycles and align the JSNA with other activities.

Please get in touch with Pam Reid at pamela.reid@ekosgen.co.uk or Shona McAllister at  shona.mcallister@ekosgen.co.uk  if you would like to speak to us about how your JSNA can better support public health planning and service delivery.