Using Results Based Accountability to set Objectives Richard Morton Partnership Support Unit, WLGA

WLGA & NHS CEHR Seminar on the Equality Act 2010 Programme What is Results Based Accountability? Three Key Accountability Ideas Objective Setting Questions

Results Based Accountability RBA increasingly popular in UK and elsewhere... Embeds performance management into planning and delivery Helps turn talk quickly into actions Explains both collaborative and service accountability and how they fit back together A disciplined way of embedding outcome based decision making into planning, delivery and accountability for partnerships and projects. “Well organised common sense”

Some RBA Principles Well being of populations not achievable by a single agency Services etc accountable for benefits to “customers” Move quickly from talk to action & ends to means Use result focused report cards not long prose plans Speak a common language Don’t try to measure everything Involve public / customers in what you do

Two Types of Accountability “Customers” of Services Whole (or Sub-) Population Children in Blaenau Gwent

Two Types of Accountability Performance Accountability – the responsibility of a project, programme or service system for specific results for its “customers” (e.g. drug cessation programme accountable for “customer results”) Population Accountability – collective or collaborative responsibility for the well being of populations (e.g. Local Service Board accountable for all people in L.A. Area)

Why This Matters: Responsibility CYP Plan Outcome Measures Framework: Priority 3.2: Every child and young person is safe and protected from abuse, victimisation and exploitation (Population Accountability) Outcome Measure: % of initial Children’s Services assessments carried out within 7 working days (Performance Accountability)

Three Key Accountability Ideas Idea 1: The quality of life condition(s) we want for the whole community “X is a fair, just and inclusive society” Idea 2: Measurable information which helps quantify how we are doing on achieving that quality of life condition(s) “% of children in X living in poverty” Idea 3: Measurable information which helps quantify if a service or project works (anything with “customers”) “How much did we do?” 2. “How well did we do it?” 3. “Is anyone better off?”

Population and Performance Accountability Children & Young People in Newport WHOLE POPULATION QUALITY OF LIFE CONDITION C&YP in Newport Live Free From Poverty POPULATION INDICATORS % in workless households % qualify for free school meals % living in below poverty threshold Back to Work scheme PERFORMANCE MEASURES % service users who get a job as a result of scheme % service users who are still working 1 year after scheme Contribution Means End Courtesy of David Burnby & Associates

Contributory Relationship Alignment of measures Appropriate responsibility POPULATION ACCOUNTABILITY Outcome = Healthy children Indicator = % low birth weight How much? # sessions # service users How well? % sessions to schedule % satisfied PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY Ante-Natal Smoking Project Is anyone better off? % service users stopping while pregnant Fitting it all Together Customer Result

Resources Richard Morton, PSU-WLGA , Mark Friedman Trying Hard Is Not Good Enough (Trafford Publishing, 2005) – website including implementation guide and examples – website including papers on Results Accountability and links to other resources

4 Questions 1.What quality of life condition(s) do you want for your whole community? 2.What measurable data can help you quantify how well you are doing? 3.What activities (e.g. projects) are going to contribute to achieving this? 4.How will you measure whether those activities benefit their “customers”?