Agenda item

To consider a Report on progress made in developing the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cheshire East; the headline results and findings of the consultation; and proposed governance arrangements to develop the process further

The Committee considered a report on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Cheshire East.  The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 placed a duty on upper-tier local authorities or unitary Councils together with Primary Care Trusts to undertake Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNA). 

This was a process that identified current and future health and well-being needs of a local population, informed priorities and targets set by Local Area Agreements and led to agreed commissioning priorities that would improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities.  The production of the JSNA was to be lead by the Director of Public Health and Director of Adult Social Services and Director of Children’s Services, working in collaboration with the Directors of Commissioning.  It was to be a whole system approach, not just about health and social care.

The process was underpinned by:

      Partnership working;

      Community engagement including with patients, service users and carers, providers including from the third sector, aimed at developing a full understanding of needs;

      Evidence of effectiveness – identifying relevant best practice, innovation and research to inform how needs would best be met.

The JSNA would be taken into account as part of the Comprehensive Area Assessment and the Council and its partners would need to provide evidence that

      needs and aspirations were understood and that the JSNA had input into the Sustainable Communities Strategy and Local Area Agreement and that there was a focus on the needs of the vulnerable and areas of inequality;

      Outcomes and improvement were delivered by ensuring that the JSNA informed commissioning decisions which in turn lead to improved health and well-being and inequalities were reduced;

      the future prospects for the area were being considered, including how the JSNA would be updated and how true partnership and community engagement could be achieved.

In November 2008 “A First Look” report had been published which set out the initial findings of the JSNA and identified some early priorities including:

      children and young people aged 0 – 18 years;

      Older people aged 65 years and over;

      Long term health conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure;

      Inequalities;

      Lifestyle choices that impacted on health and quality of life, including alcohol and smoking.

The key findings showed a significant increase in the number of older or very old people in Cheshire East.  Alcohol was the largest emerging lifestyle threat to health.  Smoking remained a significant cause of preventable illness and premature death and was the primary reason for the gap in health life expectancy between rich and poor.  Breast feeding rates were not meeting the target and low numbers of children having the MMR vaccine had resulted in a recent outbreak of measles in the community.

This report had been widely distributed and a consultation period undertaken.  Although a low number of responses had been received, half of the respondents had agreed that the correct priorities for Cheshire East had been identified and 90% agreed that resources should be directed to areas where they would make most difference.

Governance arrangements would be made through a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Steering Group with representatives from the Primary Care Trust, Local Authority, Third Sector, Crime and Disorder Partnership and Local Strategic Partnership.  This Steering Group would report into the Local Strategic Partnership, Local Area Partnership and Primary Care Trust Board on a regular basis.

In discussing the report Members noted that adult participation in physical activity was generally similar to the national average and suggested the Council should aim to be above average.  It was explained that some areas of the Borough had high physical activity whereas in others it was very low.  The Cumbernauld Arena in Crewe had high numbers of attendance and Members were told that Community Workers from the Council adopted a proactive approach to try to get young people to join sports clubs.  It was suggested that using existing sports and activity groups to promote and encourage new groups to be set up could be a useful approach.  There were also a number of clubs run by volunteers who could be eligible for grant aid and that this should be promoted.  Funding was also available through Connexions.

RESOLVED:  That

(a)  the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment be noted and the work undertaken by the Primary Care Trust and Local Authority be welcomed;

(b)  the Governance arrangements be noted and endorsed:  and

(c)  the Steering Group be requested to circulate relevant information to the Local Area Partnerships at the earliest opportunity.