Strategic Planning: Strategic Gap Analysis
About strategic gap analysis
Strategic Gap Analysis is a strategic planning tool used in health and social care. It seeks to triangulate evidence from multiple sources to:
- Compare the status quo with good practice
- Identify the gaps between the two
- Explore the mechanisms to close the gap to inform future strategy and planning.
Supporting protocol – how you might use this tool:
You can learn how to carry out a Strategic Gap Analysis in "Using a Strategic Gap Analysis to guide your plans".
The Protocol Self-Reflection tool can be used to help structure the gathering of information on which to base your analysis.
We also carried out a national strategic gap analysis for mental health and substance use (Appendix 2, p20). The themes in this national analysis can help you reflect and analyse your local system.
When looking at developing and implementing your local protocol, this tool can:
- Establish where your current practice sits in relation to the national protocol,
- Highlight structural components to how co-occurring substance use and mental health are supported, including the dynamics of interfaces between services,
- Develop a shared understanding of how the whole system is operating to either meet, or not meet, good practice,
- Enable more detailed exploration of key areas of practice,
- Explore implicit models of care,
- Support the prioritisation of work, and
- Build understanding around what changes are needed. (E.g. culture, relationships, processes, or services.)