Measuring Local Wellbeing in Scotland

Colin Mair, Chief ExecutiveImprovement Service

Scope

• Introductory Points• The Scottish Context• Measuring Local Wellbeing• Going Forward

“Wellbeing” : Initial Points

• Semantics : “Wellbeing”; QOL”; Life Satisfaction”; “Happiness”

• Measurement : Objective ---- Subjective / Experimental

• Focus : Individual -- Collective Wellbeing• Role : Government, public services and communities

Some Key Findings

• Strong linear relationship between income subjective wellbeing (50%)

• Plateau Effect : £45,000 + (2007) (EIU)• Inequality affects objective and subjective wellbeing

across the range• Income, health and educational opportunity highly

correlated• Security and cohesion appear independent

The National Performance Framework in Scotland

• Purpose : Sustainable economic development• Strategic Objectives : Healthier, wealthier, fairer,

smarter, greener• National Outcomes : 15 derived from purpose and

objectives• SOA : Priority local outcomes given context,

circumstances and national outcomes

Points

• Translation and articulation : Not “command and control”• Economic wellbeing : correlates and preconditions• Focus on Collective Wellbeing : Public value : Subjective

value• Localism, diversity and wellbeing

Measuring “Wellbeing”(1) Educational Wellbeing

• Context : Quality of schools; authorities; pre-school access; facilities and ratios

• Performance : Key stage attainment; S4-S5 tariff scores; vocational qualifications

• Outcomes : Positive destination : FE/HE; training; employment

• Satisfaction : Parental satisfaction with school

Issues

• Total population or segments : equalising outcomes (SIMD)

• Destinations : Types; values and purpose• Links to wider aspects of wellbeing : social and

economic• Experiential or satisfaction measures for children e.g.

school estate renewal

Measuring Wellbeing(2) Health Wellbeing

• Context : Acute and community infrastructure; access to services; service redesign

• Performance : Screening; health improvement uptake; early diagnosis; waiting times; clinical quality etc

• Outcomes : HLE; SMR by category; demography; segment); experienced health

• Satisfaction: Patient and family experience (little on expectations)

Measuring Wellbeing(3) Community Wellbeing

• Context : “Affordable” housing; communal facilities; service access; connectivity

• Performance : Homelessness and inappropriate housing; crime and accident rates; facilities utilisation; inflow outflow; demographic and social mix

• Outcomes : Experienced wellbeing: quality; value; safety; cohesion

• Satisfaction : with area and amenities

Some General Observations

• “Monopolistic” public service perspective on “wellbeing” : measuring outcomes via public service responsibilities and accountabilities

• “Doing wellbeing to”; creating wellbeing with”; “facilitating communities to achieve wellbeing”

• Fragmented approach : dimensions; weighting composite measure; benchmarked

Some General Observations

• Inequality insufficiently surfaced and focussed : improvement; maintenance and policy

• Politics, attitudes and distribution of wellbeing : the voter paradox

Going Forward

• Local indicators project• Standardising customer experience measurement• Standardising community experience measurement• Potential for “integrated area profile” : objective and

experiential measure

End Points

• End outcomes and wellbeing• The equality opportunity is insufficiently explored• The reach of public services needs reflected on :

contributions analysis and wellbeing• Better measurement would help : integration and

independence