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Agenda item

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment - Executive Summary

Minutes:

Charlotte Ashton introduced the updated executive summary of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, which included the latest evidence on health and wellbeing needs in the borough.

 

The following main points were noted during the discussion:

 

·         The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment had been updated to reflect new evidence in relation to children’s health, the relationship between health and employment and mental health. All evidence was available on the Islington Evidence Hub.

·         The Board noted the new approach of making a ‘call for evidence’ which provided all relevant local agencies with the opportunity to contribute to the evidence base.

·         Councillor Burgess noted that the significant population increase of 9% over the past four years described in the executive summary was based on GLA estimates and officers were investigating the accuracy of the figures. It was also noted that the childhood mental health evidence included comparisons to a national survey which was around ten years old and therefore the data should be considered in this context.

·         Although the Board queried the significant population increase described, it was noted that the new figure of 224,600 was closer to the GP registered population of 228,000, whereas there had previously been a significant difference between the two figures. It was commented that the CCG’s own population estimate was somewhere in between the two figures.

·         It was commented that the population statistics were partially based on the estimated number of new births in new housing developments; however the Council knew that 40% of new properties in the borough were currently empty.

·         It was noted that challenges arose not just from an increased population, but from considerable churn in the private rented sector, with residents constantly moving in and out of the borough. The result of which was that residents were less well connected to local services than in other areas.

·         The Board noted the importance of encouraging new residents to register with local GPs as population numbers had an influence on the funding available to health services.

·         The Board considered the difficulties associated with carrying out a new national child mental health survey, however noted that local agencies had a great deal of useful local data on this topic.

·         The Board commented on the ‘What does this mean for Islington?’ sections of the executive summary, suggesting that the current list-based approach could be replaced or supplemented by a single, shorter, prioritised and action-based list. It was thought that this would be more useful as it would help to focus local agencies with limited financial resources on key activities. It was agreed that a further document would be submitted to the January 2016 meeting.

·         The Board emphasised the need to identify ‘quick wins’ which would allow local agencies to make a significant impact in a short time period.

·         To maximise the financial resources available to local agencies, it was considered important to evaluate areas where the health and wellbeing of the local population had improved to such an extent that specialist programmes could be de-commissioned. 

·         The Board concluded that it had a detailed and clear evidence base of the health and wellbeing problems faced by local people however needed to further consider how these problems can be prioritised and how the underlying causes of these problems can be addressed. It was suggested that Board members could give further consideration to these issues at the informal Health and Wellbeing workshop in November 2015.

 

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2015/16 Executive Summary be noted and agreed;

2.    That a further action-based document setting out the priorities for local agencies be submitted to the January 2016 meeting.

 

Supporting documents: