The Community Care Outcomes Framework allows partnerships (local authorities and their NHS partners) to understand their performance locally, at a strategic level, in improving outcomes for people who use community care services or support, and their carers. It also allows partnerships to share this information with other partnerships in Scotland and mutually compare performance directly on the basis of consistent, clear information. The Community Care Outcomes Framework underpins the national performance framework, and current Single Outcome Agreement guidance refers specifically to the framework as a useful supporting tool which local partners may wish to use "below the waterline". There is also a considerable overlap with the National Indicators, SOA menu of local indicators and NHS HEAT.
The framework is grouped into 6 inter-related themes comprising 4 National Outcomes and 16 measures and has been refined and developed through wide stakeholder engagement since November 2006, including 7 'Early Implementer' partnerships from across Scotland involved in piloting various aspects of the Community Care Outcomes approach. Final definitions of 13 of the measures were released in December 2008.
The Community Care Outcomes Benchmarking Network, led by the Midlothian partnership, met for the first time in March 2009 with all 32 Community Care partnerships having expressed their interest in joining. This group will monitor the first 13 defined measures in the framework, comparing local performance and contributing to future development of the suite of measures.
Using the Community Care Outcomes Framework to understand performance locally fits well with the emphasis on self evaluation being promoted by the 4 scrutiny bodies (Audit Scotland, Care Commission, NHS QIS and SWIA). In addition to this common focus on improving outcomes, there is considerable alignment in the detail of the Community Care Outcomes Framework and National Care Standards.