Population Health Needs Assessment January 2026

As part of a nationally mandated requirement, all Integrated Care Boards must submit several documents as part of the integrated planning framework. A population health needs assessment is required as part of this process. The Lancashire and South Cumbria Population Health Needs Assessment is a tool to systematically review the health issues facing a population, leading to system wide agreed priorities that aim to improve health and reduce health inequalities. A Population Health Needs Assessment is not a one-off, stand-alone exercise. In order to influence the delivery of healthcare, it must be incorporated into the decision-making cycle for health, healthcare and the wider context, with commissioning central to the process.