Letter issued on 5 June 2007 to: Chief Executives, Local Authorities, NHS Boards, General Managers, Directors of Social Work, Joint Future Managers, professional, voluntary and other organisations
NATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR COMMUNITY CARE - LOCAL IMPROVEMENT TARGETS
Introduction
This letter advises partnerships of the continuing role of Local Improvement Targets (LITs) in supporting outcomes in community care. Under the new National Outcomes Framework, however, they will be an integral part of local performance reporting, and will not be reported or evaluated nationally. This is the start of rationalising the level of reporting nationally under the new Outcomes Framework.
The new National Outcomes Framework for community care introduced by our letter of 4 April comprises 4 high level national outcomes, supported by 16 measures and a broad range of targets. We intend to start implementing the Framework in 2007-08 using the national outcomes, 6 of the 16 measures and 5 existing targets. The introduction of the Framework has implications for existing forms of reporting, including that under the Joint Performance Information and Assessment Framework, and especially Local Improvement Targets.
Background
Over the last 3 years, partnerships have drawn up LITs covering 7 core areas in support of the pre-existing national outcomes for older people's services. They have been assessed nationally as part of the JPIAF framework. For the 2006-07 JPIAF round we asked partnerships to report only progress against their LITs for 2006-07. Both the JPIAF guidance (Circular CCD 2/2007) and the letter of 4 April stated that we would not be seeking LITs for 2007-08 as part of the 2006-07 JPIAF round, pending clarification of their position in the new Outcomes Framework.
Policy
LITs are currently the centrepiece of the outcomes approach in community care. They drive performance locally. Partnerships value them as a key part of their local performance arrangements, which we wish to sustain under the new Outcomes Framework.
Under the new arrangements, LITs should support the achievement of the (new) national outcomes. We expect that partnerships will wish to develop LITs that underpin the Framework and demonstrate achievement of the national outcomes. Each partnership should therefore draw up their own LITs, having regard to the national outcomes, the performance measures and both current and emerging national targets, but also reflect local circumstances and priorities. We would expect partnerships to carry the scope of their existing LITs into the new arrangements.
The underlying characteristics of LITs set out in the guidance of July 2004 (Circular CCD 9/2004), continue to be relevant. LITs therefore need to be challenging and have all the characteristics of effective targets. As they become more central to local reporting, partnerships will wish to ensure that their local performance management and reporting arrangements are robust, enable users and carers to participate effectively in setting targets and that reporting arrangements reflect the constituency interests. Public performance reporting is an integral part of an improved suite of local performance reporting arrangements.
At present the formal scope of LITs is confined to older people's services. A number of partnerships have of their own volition, but with our support, developed LITs for other care groups. It was always our intention to extend LITs to all of community care, and had the current arrangements continued that would have taken effect in 2007-08. So, in compiling LITs under the new arrangements, partnerships will wish to recognise that the new Outcomes Framework applies to all of community care, and LITs should do likewise.
Implementation
Our letter of 4 April also encouraged partnerships to continue to develop LITs for 2007-08 for their own purposes, based on the pre-existing arrangements. The Outcomes Project Board wishes the new arrangements to come into effect for the second half of 2007-08. Partnerships are therefore invited to draw up LITs on the basis described in this letter, as from October 2007. That means that their first set of targets under the auspices of the new Outcomes Framework would be for the remainder of 2007-08 (and possibly beyond if they so wish).
Action
Local partnerships should now begin to develop for implementation in October their LITs to deliver results under the National Outcomes Framework. More generally, they will wish to ensure that their local performance reporting systems are robust and fully engage with all relevant local interests.
If you have any enquiries about LITs please contact Linda Watters on 0131 244 2374 or Linda.Watters@scotland.gsi.gov.uk