10.7 Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategies

1. Introduction

Local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have equal and joint duties to prepare joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs) and joint local health and wellbeing strategies (JHWSs), through the health and wellbeing board.

The purpose of the JSNA and JHWS is to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community and reduce inequalities for all ages.

2. Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

The JSNA is produced by the local health and wellbeing board and is unique to the local area. The health and wellbeing boards should consider a wide range of factors that impact on their communities’ health and wellbeing, and local assets that can help to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities. Each local area is free to undertake the JSNA in a way best suited to its local circumstances; there is no template or format that must be used and no mandatory data set to be included.

A range of quantitative (numeric) and qualitative (non-numeric) evidence should be used in the JSNA. There are a number of data sources and tools that the health and wellbeing board may find useful for obtaining quantitative data (see Measuring Outcomes in Adult Social Care chapter). Qualitative information can be gained in a variety of ways, including views collected by the local Healthwatch organisation or by local voluntary sector organisations, feedback given to local providers by service users, and views fed in as part of community participation within the JSNA and JLHWS process. 

3. Health and Wellbeing Boards

Established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Health and Wellbeing Boards bring together the NHS, public health, and local authorities, including elected representatives and Local Healthwatch, to plan how best to improve the health and wellbeing of their local population and reduce health inequalities. See Central Bedfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board

4. Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The JLHWS should turn the JSNA findings into clear outcomes that the health and wellbeing board wants to achieve, which will inform local commissioning and the development of locally led initiatives that meet those outcomes and the needs identified.

The JLHWS is the strategy for meeting the needs identified in the JSNA. As with JSNAs, it is produced by the health and wellbeing board, is unique to each local area, and there is no prescribed format. However, the board must have regard to the integrated care strategy when preparing their joint local health and wellbeing strategies, as well as having regard to the NHS priorities and the statutory guidance (see Section 5.2 Relevant information).

The JLHWS should explain what priorities the health and wellbeing board has set in order to tackle the needs identified in the JSNA.

5. Further Reading

5.1 Relevant chapter

Integration, Cooperation and Partnerships

5.2 Relevant information

Statutory Guidance on Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies (Department of Health and Social Care)