A detailed document showing health and wellbeing needs of Stoke-on-Trent residents for now and the future has been turned into an easily accessible website.
Commissioners, service providers and residents can from today log on to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) site – www.stoke.gov.uk/jsna.
The site, developed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and NHS Stoke on Trent, provides quick links to show the city’s population, ethnicity and deprivation levels as well as analysing education, employment, housing and health needs. It builds on the JSNA first published in 2010.
Councillor Adrian Knapper, cabinet member for health, said: “The website represents pioneering work between the council and the NHS. We wanted to create a simple, accessible resource where health and wellbeing needs of residents can easily be understood, with key statistics and analysis.
“It is a radical change in the way this information is presented – the website will be updated when new information is available, for example it will reflect Census statistics when new details are released, and education achievements such as GCSE results.
“The rolling updates will mean anybody can instantly access information about the health and wellbeing needs of the city, at the click of a button.
“We know that the city faces many health and wellbeing challenges. This site refreshes the needs assessment published in 2010 and will help to inform the services that are provided.”
The JSNA has already identified many challenges, which commissioners and service providers are working towards addressing.
For example, mental health services for children in care have been significantly redesigned and re-tendered to respond to mild and moderate mental and emotional health issues – based on needs identified by the assessment.
The site provides access to ward level information for each of the city’s 37 wards. It also gives important statistics about vulnerable groups, such as people with mental health needs and homeless people.
Dr Zafar Iqbal, acting director of public health, said: “The website will play an important role in gaining a wider understanding of the health challenges facing people in the city. We hope that many local organisations and community groups will find the information helpful in understanding local health issues.”
Dr Ruth Chambers, clinical director practice development and performance for Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The information and intelligence contained in the site will be very useful for commissioners of our clinical commissioning groups. It will help them understand service needs, make plans for service improvements, and hopefully see that the improvements envisaged have indeed succeeded at a population level.”
Ends
For media enquiries, please call Andrew Brunt at Stoke-on-Trent City Council press office on 01782 232671.
Issued: 09/10/12