To draw Cabinet’s attention to the key findings from the latest Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) so that regard can be had to them in future plans, commissioning of services and budget decisions.

The Chairman introduced the report which outlined the key findings from the latest Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), a document produced jointly with NHS Herefordshire.  

The Director of Public Health, the Corporate Policy and Research Manager and the Associate Director of Integrated Commissioning (Acting DSS) collectively presented the report.  It was stated that the JSNA:

·         provided a fuller understanding of the main health and social care needs of the people of Herefordshire and went beyond the current legal requirement for these assessments to identify health and social care needs.

·         was a living document which would incorporate timely information (e.g more refined ward profiles) upon which informed judgements could be formed in relation to future decisions about plans, programmes and budget allocations.

·         summary as well as the full document (both written in plain English) would be made available publicly and circulated widely; there would also be public  access to technical appendices via electronic links on the web-site.

·         provided a common starting point for dialogue and a common understanding of issues, the basis on which partner organisations and communities could work together to tackle the areas of greatest need and reduce inequalities.

Cabinet commented on the usefulness of the JSNA in informing decisions relating to the prioritisation of resources, as well as its value in raising awareness within communities and with voluntary and third sector partners (including parish and town councils) about needs and the choices that had to be made in trying to meet them . 

Responding to a question relating to ambulance response rates, the Director of Public Health stated that work was being undertaken with colleagues to overcome operational problems and build in appropriate local solutions commensurate with the problem.  The rurality of the county was acknowledged as a challenge to the ambulance service; however the deterioration in response rates was not, in the view of the Director of Public Health, due to the amalgamation of ambulance services.  The Chief Executive commented that the Primary Care Trusts, as the commissioners of the ambulance services, were working collectively to consider realistic and affordable ambulance response times which needed to be co-ordinated with such initiatives as First Respondents.  An assessment was required to define the best responses to differing situations and to ensure that the ambulance service was appropriately available.  Cabinet requested that localised ambulance response rates continue to be made available.

Responding to a query relating to the high rates of young people who smoke, drink alcohol and get drunk, the Director of Public Health advised Cabinet that work was being undertaken in schools to encourage changes in behaviours.

RESOLVED

THAT:

(a)                     the key findings form the latest Joint Strategic Needs Assessment by noted; and

(b)                     regard should be had to the key findings in future plans, commissioning of services and budget decisions.