Key questions for consultation

Basket of local health inequalities indicators

 

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1

Definitions

 

Definitions of terms need to be clear.

Question 1

Do you have suggestions for any changes which should be made to any of the definitions shown in the documents on this part of this website (especially those shown in the Matrix report section 2.2)?

 

 

2

Criteria (Short listing)

Question 2.1

Are there gaps in the short listing criteria (see section 5 of the Matrix Report on this page of this website) for appraising indicators?

 

These short listing criteria are:

 

  1. Is the indicator routinely available at local authority (LA) level?

  2. Is the indicator routinely available at primary care trust (PCT) level?

  3. Are the data collected/reported with sufficient frequency to allow progress to be reported?

  4. Will the indicator pick up (statistically significant) changes if it is only measuring small numbers at local authority level?

  5. Is it possible to give a clear interpretation of the value of the indicator and direction of change?

Question 2.2

Please comment on the unit of comparison chosen for short listing indicators: Local Authority and/or PCT level. Do you think comparisons should be available at other levels?

 

 

3

Flexibility: Selection criteria for a useful basket

Question 3.1

How big should the basket be in order to support local and national priorities?

 

Question 3.2

How much local flexibility over the use of selection criteria (as outlined within section 6 of the Matrix report located on this webpage of the LHO website) and of dimensions of inequalities is useful: should there be any curb on these?

 

These selection criteria are:

 

  1. Does the indicator usefully support equity audit?

  2. Does the indicator measure what we want it to measure?

  3. Does the indicator provide a useful linkage to local Public Service Agreements (PSAs)?

  4. Does the indicator provide a useful basis for monitoring?

  5. Does the indicator provide useful linkage to Local Strategic Partnership Priorities and Neighbourhood Renewal

  6. Does the indicator provide a basis for facilitating local partnership action?

  7. Is the indicator already being used by local agencies?

  8. Is there a reasonable evidence base to link the indicator with the targets set?

Is there reasonable evidence that the indicator directly contributes to national inequality targets?

Question 3.3

What further selection criteria (as outlined within Section 6 of the Matrix report on this page of this website) would be useful in defining which indicators are used in the local basket?

 

These selection criteria are:

 

  1. Does the indicator usefully support equity audit?

  2. Does the indicator measure what we want it to measure?

  3. Does the indicator provide a useful linkage to local Public Service Agreements (PSAs)?

  4. Does the indicator provide a useful basis for monitoring?

  5. Does the indicator provide useful linkage to Local Strategic Partnership Priorities and Neighbourhood Renewal

  6. Does the indicator provide a basis for facilitating local partnership action?

  7. Is the indicator already being used by local agencies?

  8. Is there a reasonable evidence base to link the indicator with the targets set?

  9. Is there reasonable evidence that the indicator directly contributes to national inequality targets?

Question 3.4

Please comment on how well you think the appraised basket (172 indicators listed at Appendix 5 of the Matrix report) is compatible with local priorities and with those set out in the Priorities and Planning Framework 2003 - 2006? (These can be found in Appendix A and Appendix B on http://www.doh.gov.uk/planning2003-2006/)

 

 

4

Policy and performance management

Question 4.1

Should some indicators be common across all Primary Care Trusts and Local Authorities?

 

Question 4.2

How can local agencies be accountable for indicators whose actions are delivered outside as well as within the NHS?

 

 

5

Decisions

Question 5.1

How should agreement on the local basket be made?

Question 5.2

Should it be subject to local scrutiny? How?

Question 5.3

How will local partnership working improve both the process and the indicators within the local basket?

Question 5.4

How should the local basket of indicators of health inequalities be related to performance management?

 

 

6

Gaps and Further work

Question 6.1

What further work is needed to make the use of health inequalities indicators most useful locally?

Question 6.2

What further work (and by whom) is needed to make the use of health inequalities indicators most useful ?

Question 6.3

What further work is needed to make health inequalities indicators most useful nationally? Eg by Health Development Agency, Department of Health, Other Government Departments, Research & Development