Report of Rachel Robinson, Director of Public Health - attached

The Director of Public Health presented the report updating the position regarding Shropshire’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) to identify current and future health and wellbeing needs in the local population and identify strategic priorities to inform commissioning of services based on those needs.

She drew attention to the steps already taken and the work being undertaken following the Covid 19 Pandemic.  Referring to the Special Educational Needs Assessment (SEND), she explained that work on this element had restarted earlier in 2021 and the draft document, produced collaboratively, had been sent to all members of the SEND Partnership and the Health and Wellbeing Board.  Further qualitative and quantitative data would be added to the document and progress was being made.

The Committee noted that the work on the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) had a completion date of March 2022.  This work involved engagement with many parties and collaboration with Telford and Wrekin colleagues in order to both avoid duplication and to inform the work on the integrated care system.

Finally, the Director of Public Health explained the different elements of the Place Based Needs Assessment (PBNA) Needs assessments covering the County’s 18 Place Plan areas.  She added that the county would be divided into 3 to 4 waves of JSNAs. She explained that 3 Place Plan areas, namely Whitchurch, Oswestry and Highley, had been identified as potential priority areas subject to stakeholder agreement based upon wider determinants, health needs, rurality and that in aggregate they covered a wider geography of the County. She also drew attention to the Web-Based JSNA that would be run in parallel and related to the development of a new online profiling tool produced by Public Health in conjunction with the Business Intelligence team.

In response to questions and comments from Members, the following points were made:

·         The Place Plan areas bordering with other areas (Wales, Staffordshire) would include consideration of issues that may overlap between the boundaries.

·         The costs of the update of the JSNA may require additional support, staffing resource, for analytical research.  The programme was scheduled for two-year completion but, should a quicker timescale be required, more resource would be needed to complete the necessary work.

·         Weight management remained a priority; a wider cross county approach was being taken including monitoring and a web tool for data collection. Different patterns emerged across the county and a wide approach was required including food management, use of green space etc.

·         It was recognised that data collected during the period of the Pandemic was unique; communities and local partners would help in the interpretation of raw data, analysis of trends would be undertaken, Census detail would be taken into account and future planning would include projections about future needs.

·         All 18 Place Plan areas would be considered during the two-year period on a phased basis and the south west of the county could be considered as part of the second wave.

·         Services remain available for health checks, social prescribing according to needs. Work in future would be commissioned to meet the needs of the local community.

It was noted that input from Members was welcome and all emailed comment and response would be shared with all members of the committee. 

In drawing the debate to a close, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services, Health, Housing and Assets (who was part of the meeting remotely), stressed the huge scope of the JSNA, the importance of an up to date JSNA that was fit for the future and commended all those involved in its development.

RESOLVED:

i)             That the preliminary data and information list for the Place Based JSNA be reviewed and consideration be given to any additions to appendix 1;

ii)            That the proposed work programme and resourcing be noted; and

iii)           That the proposed wave 1 place based JSNA areas be considered and approved, including an understanding that the South West of the county be considered in wave 2.