The board is asked to note formally the publication of the 2024 Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) Summary, which collates the latest strategic level understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of Herefordshire’s population.  It also aims to ensure the JSNA is used to inform the strategic planning and commissioning of relevant services pertinent to addressing the building blocks of good health and wellbeing by the council, NHS and other stakeholders.

The Director of Public Health presented the slide set ‘Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2024’, including the slides: JSNA parts and process; JSNA 2024 Summary: contents and use; Recommendations of paper; and Facilitating effectiveness: Communication & engagement plan.

The matters discussed by the board included:

1.           The importance of the JSNA to understand the factors that affect the health of the population and the ongoing work with the Primary Care Networks on localised footprint analysis, particularly to inform the neighbourhood health model.

2.           The JSNA Summary 2024 was commended for its comprehensiveness and readability.

3.           Attention was drawn to the statement (JSNA Summary 2024, page 23) that ‘Although life expectancy has increased over recent decades, both nationally and locally, healthy life expectancy has not. This means that more people are spending more years of their lives in poor health…’.

4.           Additional participation in the JSNA Strategic Partnership Group was encouraged, including representation from the voluntary and community sector.

5.           Assurance was provided that the JSNA was used actively by the Safeguarding Children Partnership and the Safeguarding Adults Board.

6.           The top seven risk factors for disability in Herefordshire (JSNA Summary 2024, page 27) were noted and it was emphasised that the board should challenge itself about what could be done at local level over the next ten years.

Resolved:  That

a)      The publication of the 2024 JSNA Summary (Appendix 1) as the shared understanding of the overall health and wellbeing needs of Herefordshire be noted;

b)      The findings of the JSNA be considered in the development of priorities and future health and wellbeing strategies;

c)      The JSNA Summary be used within member organisations and other system networks; and

d)      Member organisations be encouraged to engage with the JSNA Strategic Partnership Group to develop a joint intelligence forward plan.