The JSNA has attempted to draw together data on health and on the determinants of health based on the 8 priority areas of the Sandwell Plan.  Many of the early messages are confirming what we already know about Sandwell:

Key points

• Sandwell 14th most deprived local authority in England
• Population will growth slowly over the next 20 years by 5.5% to 309,000
• Sandwell is aging but not as fast as England, over 65s will increase by 13% by 2025 compared to 30% nationally. We need to develop techniques that provide commissioners with the evidence they need to ensure their plans are fit for the future.
• We have a growing ethnic population, by 2025 people from Black and Minority Ethnic populations will make up 30% of the population.  These populations have different health needs that are not fully understood.
• The health of Sandwell is improving, but not as fast as England.
• Men are now living 2.8 years longer than they did in 1991-3, and women are now living 1.3 years longer.  However, they are both falling behind the rest of England.  The gap for men in life expectancy in 1991-3 was 2.1 years it is now (2003-5) 2.5 years. 
• For women the gap has grown even wider from 1 year to 1.7 years.   Sandwell has the 14th lowest life expectancy of any local authority in England for men and 25th lowest for females.
• Across Sandwell there is a wide variation in life expectancy. 
• A man in Tipton can currently expect to live to 73, whilst one living in Oldbury Town can expect to live to 76.5, three and a half years longer.  For a woman the difference is even greater.
• A woman in Tipton can currently expect to live to 78.2 years, whilst one in Oldbury Town can expect to live to 82.2 years a difference of 4 years. 
• Main killers remain Circulatory disease (coronary heart disease, Stroke), Lung Cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , however deaths from Alcohol are increasing
• We are not seeing the same speed of improvement in the reduction of deaths under 75 for Circulatory Disease and Cancer compared to rest of England
• Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and alcohol all remain significant causes of ill-health

There is still much work to be done looking at the relationship of the different factors and to identify the areas of greatest need.  A series of more in depth joint needs assessments are proposed looking at in particular: 

• Ethnic populations
• Vulnerable people and housing
• Younger people