Public Health news: Joint Strategic Needs and Assets Assessment for Falls

September 2022

Joint Strategic Needs and Assets Assessment for Falls

There is a statutory duty on Local Authorities to produce a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for its population so that strategic planning for health and wellbeing is carried out in partnership and based on the best available and most up-to-date evidence. It is intended to promote joint working in local areas.

In South Tyneside, the approach was broadened to encompass 'assets' to capture and assess wider community facilities, skills, resources and services that contribute to or impact on specific issues or health topics in the borough. Each topic includes an 'Assets' section to highlight the importance of always considering the people, locations, and services that are already out there addressing the needs of South Tyneside.

The JSNAA process and resulting thematic documents therefore identify current and future health and wellbeing needs (including any gaps to be addressed) in South Tyneside. It is a tool which provides South Tyneside Council and its partners with the information they need to agree priorities and deliver services that meet the needs of our area.

Most recently, a small group of officers from the South Tyneside Healthy Ageing Alliance reviewed the 'Falls' JSNAA document, refreshing and updating key areas based on the latest local and national research and data, including:

• Review of the local key issues incorporating evidence and intel on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Review of our local high-level priorities and commissioning intentions
• Updates to the evidence base around those at risk and perceived levels of need (including currently unmet needs and gaps)
• Updated summary/overview of local assets and services across the whole system - primary/secondary care, Local Authority, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise etc.
• New section on emerging evidence around falls prevention including the links between alcohol use and falls in older people
• Updated community engagement survey undertaken in 2022 to capture more recent views of the public in the post-pandemic era compared to pre-pandemic (2020)
• Updated resource directory with further links to the latest evidence, toolkits and resources around falls prevention.

The new Falls JSNAA document can be found on the South Tyneside Council website at Falls JSNAA

To view the wider list of JSNAA topics please visit JSNAA Topics

If you have any comments, feedback or suggestions please send these to public.health@southtyneside.gov.uk