Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) has become a standard piece of work that has been conducted by local authorities and PCTs since the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act in 2007.  It is the responsibility of the Directors of Public Health, and Children’s and Adult Social Services.

An essential tool for commissioners, a JSNA identifies current and future health and wellbeing needs of a local population, in order to inform priorities and targets, and commissioning of services to reduce health inequalities.  It assesses the needs over a three to five year period, but often will include a longer term consideration of changes in demography and infrastructure developments.  Many groups and individuals contribute to the needs assessment, for example, public health nurses, social care, environmental health officers, teachers, health promotion trainers, GPs and midwives.

A strategic needs assessment differs to other needs assessments in that it is used to set strategic priorities rather than informing specific decisions.

An introduction to JSNAs is provided by Neil Bendel from the Greater Manchester Joint Health Care Unit in the video.

Further details about JSNAs can be found from useful websites:

Department of Health: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_081097

Lancashire County Council (There dedicated team that concentrates on JSNA and other needs assessments have produced a useful resource that include needs assessment and other report templates): http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/office_of_the_chief_executive/lancashireprofile/jsna/needsassessments.asp