Agenda item

Lorna Quinn, Public Health Intelligence Principal , to present the refreshed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

Lorna Quinn, Public Health Intelligence Principal, gave the following powerpoint presentation on the annual refresh that had taken place:-

 

Purpose of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

-        To identify the key issues affecting the health and wellbeing of Rotherham’s residents, both now and in the future

-        It was an ongoing iterative process presented as a suite of resources including interactive reports, briefings, downloadable reports and datasets that were updated regularly as new analysis and insight became available

-        A recently developed health and wellbeing bulletin could be shared alongside the quarterly intelligence update

 

Section 1 – Breastfeeding

Strategic Goal

-        The first 1001 days were where the foundations of future health and wellbeing were built

-        There was a strong body of evidence to show breastfeeding was beneficial to children in numerous ways including long term outcomes

-        Rotherham still fell below England in breastfeeding prevalence but rates were improving – 44.1% in 2024/25 following 5 years of sustained improvement

 

JSNA Data

-        Although currently 11.5% points behind England, Rotherham’s rates were improving in line with national trends and comparable to rates across England 5 years ago

-        Rotherham was currently placed 4^th amongst its statistical neighbours, ahead of its statistical neighbours within South Yorkshire

-        Although national data showed a sustained improvement, more recent data from the Infant Feeding Team indicated that this may have plateaued

 

Delivery – Infant Feeding Team

-        Breastfeeding support was a commissioned service delivered by the NHS Infant Feeding Team and supported 1,756 mothers in 2025/26 – up by 318 on the previous year (22% increase)

-        The Service provided support across 5,931 contact events in 2024/25 – up by 708 on the previous year (a 13.6% increase), 34% of contact events were with mothers from the 20% most deprived deciles targeting support to help close the inequality gap

 

The Offer – Infant Feeding Team

-        The Team delivered breastfeeding sessions, attendance at breastfeeding drop-in sessions, the Ferham Mother, Baby and Toddler Group (targeted intervention for Pakistani/British Pakistani mothers which had seen a growth in attendance over the year and attendees coming to sessions at other locations) and Level 1 and 2 breastfeeding support training delivered to family hubs, staff and voluntary sector workers

 

Challenges Ahead

-        Infant Feeding Team had seen a 22% increase in mothers supported and a 13% increase in contact events with no increase in staffing

-        There was a risk that if the upward trend continued nationally, the gap between England and Rotherham widened, therefore, widening health inequalities between Rotherham’s children and the national average

 

Section 2 – Long-term Conditions

Strategic Goal

-        Good health was foundational to all of our lives but many people in Rotherham were living with chronic conditions

-        Prevention, early diagnosis, intervention and management of these conditions was key to helping people live as independently and as healthy as possible

-        Rotherham had a higher prevalence of long-term conditions so prevention and management was key to achieving some of the strategic aims

 

JSNA Data – Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

-        CVD covered 4 main conditions, 3 of which data was held on:

·        Coronary heart disease prevalence in Rotherham was 3.8% - slightly higher but in line with the England level of 3%

·        Stroke and TIA prevalence was 2.4% above the England level of 1.9%

·        Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) prevalence was 0.7% in line with the England level of 0.6%

-        The key difference in Rotherham was it had significantly higher rates of hospital admissions for CHD than England – 564 per 100,000 compared to 386 for England and significantly higher under 75 mortality – 62.5 per 100,000 compared to 40.6

 

JSNA – Respiratory Conditions

-        Respiratory conditions affected 1 in 5 people in England and was the third biggest cause of death

-        Asthma prevalence in Rotherham was 7.9% compared to 6.5% in England, COPD  was 3.2% (1.9% in England) and lung cancer was 160.15 per 100,000 compared to 111.99 in England

-        Outcomes were worse for people in Rotherham with significantly higher rates of mortality for respiratory disease overall and under 75 mortality for preventable respiratory disease

-        All age mortality rate for respiratory disease in Rotherham was 160.82 compared to 111.29 for England (2024)

-        Under 75 mortality for preventable respiratory disease was 27.17 per 100,000 in Rotherham compared to 19.32 in England

 

JSNA Data – Musculoskeletal Conditions

-        Musculoskeletal conditions (MSK) impacted quality of life with pain, limited motion and reduced ability to take part in daily life

-        Those living with multiple conditions, MSK had been reported to cause the greatest impact on overall wellness, independence and quality of life due to increased pain and limited movement

-        22.9% of Rotherham residents reported having a long term MSK compared to 18.4% in England

-        Rates of reported MSK conditions in Rotherham had remained relatively stable since 2018

 

Early Detection – NHS Health Checks

-        Hypertension was the single most modifiable risk factor for CVD

-        QOF prevalence of hypertension for 2024/25 was 17.6% higher than the England level of 15.2%

-        The upward trend after 2020 both locally and nationally was due to the restart of the NHS health checks along with NHS Community Pharmacy Blood Pressure Check Service alongside other screening in Primary Care post-Covid

-        Increase in QOF prevalence was likely due to more cases of hypertension being detected rather than an increase in the level present in the population

 

Intervention – Rotherham Healthwave

-        2025/25 Healthwave received 9,827 referrals, 131% of the annual target

-        48% of residents referred to the Service came through the self-referral pathway

-        31% were referred into Smoking Cessation Services, 16% were referred into Weight Management and Physical Exercise Services

-        23% referred to Healthwave did not go onto any service either through declining referral (17%) or were not contactable (6%)

 

Intervention - Smoking

-        Smoking contributed towards numerous long-term conditions including COPD, CVD and cancers and residents of Rotherham smoked at rates above the England average

-        13.5% of Rotherham residents were current smokers compared to 10.4% in England

-        The Local Enhanced Service (Swap to Stop) received 388 referrals in 2025/26

-        129 or 33% referred to LEL quit at 4 weeks below the target of 55%

-        Smoking Cessation Service received 1,394 referrals in 2025/26

-        1,011 were reordered giving the Service a 73% quit rate – more than the 55% target with 57% of quitters still quit at 3 months

 

Intervention – Weight Management

-        Excess weight was a significant but modifiable risk for hypertension, cardiovascular disease and MSK

-        1,026 residents were referred to Tier 2 weight management interventions in 2025/26 exceeding the target of 1,000

-        37% achieved a 5% weight loss at 12 weeks (the end of the programme) and 35% maintained 5% weight loss at 6 months, over the targets of 15% (12 weeks) and 10% (6 months)

-        85 residents were referred to Tier 2 plus, under the service target of 100

-        54% of residents referred to Tier 2 plus achieved 5% weight loss at the end of the programme (24 weeks) far more than the 10% target

 

Intervention – Long-term Conditions

-        Being physically active had numerous benefits for physical and mental health and was crucial for preventing or managing many long-term conditions

-        Wellbeing and physical activity programme could help prevent falls, make daily tasks easier, improve mental health and tackle social isolation

-        3,276 residents assessed reported a 60 minute increase in time they spent physically active

 

Section 3 – Sexual Health

-        Improvements could be seen in HIV testing rate which had been increasing over time.  Although currently still lower than England, the rate was increasing and remained higher than Rotherham’s statistical neighbours

-        HIV testing rates had declined during 2020 and 2021 but were on their way to being higher than the pre-Covic period

 

National Picture

-        Nationally seeing increases in Syphilis diagnostic rate, however, Rotherham had seen a decrease and it remained significantly better than that for England.  It was a similar picture for the Gonorrhoea diagnostic rate, however, the Chlamydia detection rate for 15-24 year old females in Rotherham remained significantly higher than that for England

 

Opportunities for Improvements

-        The HIV late diagnosis indicated showed the proportion of those who were considered to have late diagnosis (over 91 days) or advance HIV.  It was the most important predictor of mortality and morbidity among those with HIV infection

-        For 2020-2022 Rotherham was in the lower third of its nearest neighbours (better) but it had been increasing and now sat in the top half of local authorities and significantly higher than England

-        Lots of people were being tested in Sexual Health Services but there needed to be a better understanding in wider health services.

 

Delivery

-        The Sexual Health Service had moved into a new space the location of which was easier to access whilst maintaining confidentiality

-        Expansion of pharmacy provision of contraception and a higher rate of long acting reversible contraception in the hospital (less so in Primary Care).  The access to contraception review had taken place to identify opportunities where provision could be expanded and made more accessible across the Borough

 

Discussion ensued with the following issues raised/clarified:-

 

·        New guidance had recently been published highlighting JSNAs having much more statutory significance and formal requirements to evidence some of the impact it was making together with HWBB partners

·        Rotherham’s Midwifery Team had been awarded UNICEF Gold accreditation in January 2026, one of only 13 Trusts in the country

·        Excellent work was taking place with the Smoking Cessation Service and Breathing Spaces but how was that communicated to the general public

·        What was known about the 18-24 year old cohort in Rotherham and the relationship between inactivity and health

·        In the current climate there would be no more resources allocated e.g. Infant Feeding Team so had to look at innovative ways of working and how to reach the population as effectively as possible particularly those hard to reach groups

 

Resolved:-  That the update to the 2026 JSNA be noted and its use be promoted within organisations.