Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNA) identify the 'big picture' in relation to health and wellbeing needs and inequalities in the local population.
They have been a statutory responsibility since 2007. The Health and Social Care Act, introduced in 2012, created an enhanced role for the JSNA to bring together partners to analyse current and future health needs and produce a Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This responsibility has been jointly held by the NHS and upper tier local authorities through the Directors of Public Health, Adult Social Care and Children's Services.
Since April 2013, all upper tier local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have equal and explicit obligations to produce an Enhanced Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (eJSNA) which is a duty discharged through the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board. eJSNAs must consider current and future health and social care needs and community resilience to match those needs.
They also consider the underlying determinants of health and reflect intelligence at a local level. The assessments cover the whole of the population across the life course - from pre-conception to end of life, including people in the most vulnerable circumstances and excluded groups. There is a requirement to involve people living or working in the area through community engagement and consultation in the preparation of eJSNAs.
The assessments are the primary evidence base used to influence decision making and priority setting in the development, commissioning and delivery of services. This includes, but is not limited to, CCGs and local authorities.
Read Lichfield District's Enhanced Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, produced in partnership by the Lichfield District Strategic Partnership.