About
What is the JSNA?
The purpose of the JSNA is to provide a summary of the current and future health, care and wellbeing needs of the local population. In identifying the changing trends within the local population, the JSNA aims to improve commissioning and, in doing so, reduce health inequalities.
To build this comprehensive picture, the needs and assets of the local population and area are assessed using both national and local data, using a broad range of indicators to monitor outcomes. This information includes:
- demographic profiles of the population
- health-related behaviours, such as smoking, dietary habits, substance misuse
- wider socioeconomic and environmental factors that affect health, such as education, housing, crime, air quality
- accessibility, use and effectiveness of services
- resident and user surveys.
The needs and inequalities identified in the JSNA are used by the Health and Wellbeing Board to inform the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS). This strategy outlines how these needs will be met and outlines a framework for the planning, commissioning and provision of services to improve outcomes for residents. For more information on the Health and Wellbeing Board, see below.
Who produces the West Sussex JSNA?
The Public Health and Social Research Unit (PHSRU) is responsible for the evidence base that underpins strategic decision-making in West Sussex County Council and its partners. We are a multi-disciplinary, highly skilled and experienced research team specialising in health and social research.
In addition to producing the JSNA on behalf of the Health and Wellbeing Board, we lead on other statutory responsibilities, including commissioning the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment and ensuring high quality research standards through West Sussex County Council’s Research Governance process.
Our work can be split into three functions:
1. Producing an evidence base
We deliver a work programme agreed by the Health and Wellbeing Board, including specific needs assessments and health equity audits, and undertake evidence reviews and economic evaluations for key public health topics. We create cost-benefit models and provide population and demand forecasting across the health and social care domains.
2. Supporting our partners
We maintain and analyse health data (such as births, deaths and child health data, and published data sets from NHS Digital, UKSHA, and OHID) and maintain this JSNA website as a hub for this data.
We work with the ICB on primary and secondary care datasets to help understand the population demand for healthcare and public health interventions. We also assist our partners in Districts and external organisations to “join-up” health and social care data, to streamline services.
3. Social research and evaluation
We evaluate and help others in evaluating services across the County Council and provide a quality assurance and research support service. We hold “research surgeries” in venues across West Sussex where frontline practitioners undertaking research can receive advice and guidance from our experienced team.
In addition to independent local research, we also engage with national research and social care programmes.
How is the information structured?
The West Sussex JSNA website acts as a continually updated hub for health and wellbeing data and information on the local population.
Much of the West Sussex JSNA data has been sorted into a “Life course Approach” following three major themes:
Each of these sections provides reports, statistics and analyses on key indicators and issues in these broad groups. For example, data relating to the National Child Measurement Programme can be found in the Starting Well section.
Core Datasets
Data on population demographics, including life expectancy, mortality and deprivation figures, is collected in the ‘Core’ section.
This section also houses interactive maps and tools for further data exploration, developed by the research team.
Reports
Our published work, ranging from statutory reports, such as the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report and the JSNA, to briefing notes to formal comprehensive needs assessments, is housed in the ‘Reports’ section.
Most documents can be found in multiple locations on the website, due to the overlapping and interlinked nature of public health. However, certain sections act as comprehensive stores for specific types of documents. All the needs assessments, for example, are collected in the Subject Specific Needs Assessment page within the Reports section.
Contacting the unit
Visit our contact page to get in touch with us.
West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board
The West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board is a forum where political, professional, clinical, and community leaders from across the local health and care system, come together to improve the health and wellbeing of their local population and reduce health inequalities. With integration and partnership at the heart of their work, they:
- Provide a strong focus on West Sussex
- Facilitate joint working and improving the wellbeing of their local population
- Set strategic direction to improve health and wellbeing
Board membership
Members of the Board include representatives from across the local health and care system including:
- West Sussex County Council
- NHS Sussex
- NHS service providers
- District and borough councils
- Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), for example, a charity
- Healthwatch West Sussex
The Board’s vision and responsibilities
‘Improving Lives Together in West Sussex’
The board is responsible for:
- Assessing the health and wellbeing needs of their residents through carrying out a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), which assesses current and future health and social care needs of the local population.
- Developing a Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS) to meet the health and wellbeing needs identified in the JSNA. Both the County Council and NHS plans for commissioning services, are informed by the JSNA and JLHWS.
- Producing and publishing the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).
For more information about the Board, please visit the West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board’s web page.
For more information about the Board’s strategy document, please visit this page.