How to read the Somerset JSNA
What is the JSNA?
JSNAs tell the local story: they include a great deal of data in terms of statistics about the local population from as many sources as the JSNA team can get their paws on. The idea is to compile as full a picture as possible about what is happening in the local area in terms of health, wealth, housing, social care, education, age, caring responsibilities, demographics, and as many things as you can craft into a pie chart or bar graph as humanly possible. It also includes lots of qualitative data and information from local people about their views of life in the area.
JSNAs will be the responsibility of the new local Health & Wellbeing Boards, and will be used to help them create their Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies - a new document that will help plan local services according to local needs.
What does this have to do with the LINk?
Every areas JSNA is different. But ideally, JSNAs should include ‘the public voice’; a reflection of what local people say about health and wellbeing. This is where the LINk comes in. The Somerset LINk worked with the Somerset JSNA project team for the 2010 JSNA for West Somerset and produced a report on the views of Supported Housing Providers for the 2011 JSNA.
What can I use the JSNA for?
The JSNA gives lots of information about local people and local needs. It is useful for commissioners, who plan and buy services, for charities who could use this information for funding applications, and for anyone who wants to understand more about their local area.
You can access the Somerset Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) on the SINe website at www.sine.org.uk and the data is accessiblevia the INFORM website www.sine.org.uk/inform.
Have you used the JSNA? What did you think?
Lots of work goes into producing the JSNA and Somerset County Council and NHS Somerset want to know what you think of it. If you've used the JSNA website and want to give feedback, you can feed back your views online here.
For more information
For more information about the JSNA, you can contact Jo Purvis, JSNA Project Manager at NHS Somerset, on Jo.Purvis@somerset.nhs.uk, or to find out more about the LINk's work on this project, email Lucy at the Somerset LINk Office on lucy.nicholls@helpandcare.org.uk.