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Adult Services Performance Indicators
Performance Development Manager - August 2008
saf.bhuta@kirklees.gov.uk
What are performance indicators?
Performance indicators are statistics that allow us to measure how well a particular
council service is performing against set targets.
The indicators measure those things involved in providing a service that are
important to the council, its staff, people who use our services and carers. They
help us to be clear about what we are trying to achieve and provide a way of checking
our success in meeting our targets. They also allow us to measure our performance
over time to see whether services are improving or getting worse.
How can performance indicators help?
Performance indicators help to improve the services people receive by:
- helping councils to develop ways of managing their performance
- allowing councils to compare their performance with others - we should compare ourselves with the best and strive to be the best!
- contributing to the Government's objectives and priorities by providing useful information
- ensuring that social care issues are taken into account in Organisational Performance Plans
- helping councils to improve services to the public through better use of information and through evaluation of their own performance
- ensuring that local government promotes better Adult Services that contribute to community well-being
Are these the only way of assessing performance?
Performance indicators do not provide a full picture of how well a service
is performing and must only be considered as part of a broader set of performance
information about Adult Services - such as through inspections, either by our
own staff or by external bodies. We therefore treat performance indicators as
a starting point for exploring our performance more fully. We also need to interpret
the indicators carefully - on their own they rarely provide a good basis for making
judgements and decisions.
What about performance indicators in Adult Services?
The Government has developed a balanced set of national indicators that help us to assess the performance of all areas of Adult Services.
These are included in the Performance Assessment Framework (PAF).
This set of indicators includes several National Indicator Set performance indicators.
Our performance indicators are structured to meet the Government’s approach to an Outcomes Based Framework. The seven outcomes are:
- Improving Health and Emotional Well-being,
- Improved Quality of Life,
- Making a Positive Contribution,
- Increased Choice and Control,
- Freedom from Discrimination,
- Economic Well-being,
- Maintaining Personal Dignity and Respect.
Why do Adult Services have them?
Best Value legislation means that every local authority must strive to provide
services that are cost effective, efficient and that meet high standards. To do
this councils have to develop local performance indicators, publish their performance
and show how they compare to both local and national performance indicators.
The Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) also encourages all public service
managers to develop their own performance measurement systems.
The Government white paper ‘Our health, our care, our say’ sets out the seven outcomes that people want from services (listed above). Gathering evidence against each of these outcomes will allow us to see whether the services we provide are working well for the people who use them.
How do they affect me as a resident of Kirklees?
It is important that local people know how well Kirklees Council services are
performing. Performance indicators help us to be accountable to local people for
the services we provide.
Our Performance Management Framework also provides a way in which we can work
with local people to question how we provide services and how well we perform
in comparison to other authorities within the region and nationally.
Where do the performance indicators go?
Performance indicators are part of several Statistical Statutory Returns that
we must complete and return to the Commission for Social Care Inspection during the course of each
financial year.
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