Measuring Local Wellbeing in Scotland
Colin Mair, Chief Executive
Improvement Service
Scope
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Introductory Points
The Scottish Context
Measuring Local Wellbeing
Going Forward
“Wellbeing” : Initial Points
• Semantics : “Wellbeing”; QOL”; Life Satisfaction”;
“Happiness”
• Measurement : Objective ---- Subjective /
Experimental
• Focus : Individual -- Collective Wellbeing
• Role : Government, public services and communities
Some Key Findings
• Strong linear relationship between income 
subjective wellbeing (50%)
• Plateau Effect : £45,000 + (2007) (EIU)
• Inequality affects objective and subjective wellbeing
across the range
• Income, health and educational opportunity highly
correlated
• Security and cohesion appear independent
The National Performance Framework
in Scotland
• Purpose : Sustainable economic development
• Strategic Objectives : Healthier, wealthier, fairer,
smarter, greener
• National Outcomes : 15 derived from purpose and
objectives
• SOA : Priority local outcomes given context,
circumstances and national outcomes
Points
• Translation and articulation : Not “command and control”
• Economic wellbeing : correlates and preconditions
• Focus on Collective Wellbeing : Public value : Subjective
value
• Localism, diversity and wellbeing
Measuring “Wellbeing”
(1) Educational Wellbeing
• Context : Quality of schools; authorities; pre-school
access; facilities and ratios
• Performance : Key stage attainment; S4-S5 tariff scores;
vocational qualifications
• Outcomes : Positive destination : FE/HE; training;
employment
• Satisfaction : Parental satisfaction with school
Issues
• Total population or segments : equalising outcomes
(SIMD)
• Destinations : Types; values and purpose
• Links to wider aspects of wellbeing : social and
economic
• Experiential or satisfaction measures for children e.g.
school estate renewal
Measuring Wellbeing
(2) Health Wellbeing
• Context : Acute and community infrastructure; access to
services; service redesign
• Performance : Screening; health improvement uptake;
early diagnosis; waiting times; clinical quality etc
• Outcomes : HLE; SMR by category; demography;
segment); experienced health
• Satisfaction: Patient and family experience (little on
expectations)
Measuring Wellbeing
(3) Community Wellbeing
• Context : “Affordable” housing; communal facilities;
service access; connectivity
• Performance : Homelessness and inappropriate housing;
crime and accident rates; facilities utilisation; inflow 
outflow; demographic and social mix
• Outcomes : Experienced wellbeing: quality; value;
safety; cohesion
• Satisfaction : with area and amenities
Some General Observations
• “Monopolistic” public service perspective on “wellbeing” :
measuring outcomes via public service responsibilities
and accountabilities
• “Doing wellbeing to”; creating wellbeing with”; “facilitating
communities to achieve wellbeing”
• Fragmented approach : dimensions; weighting
composite measure; benchmarked
Some General Observations
• Inequality insufficiently surfaced and focussed :
improvement; maintenance and policy
• Politics, attitudes and distribution of wellbeing : the voter
paradox
Going Forward
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Local indicators project
Standardising customer experience measurement
Standardising community experience measurement
Potential for “integrated area profile” : objective and
experiential measure
End Points
• End outcomes and wellbeing
• The equality opportunity is insufficiently explored
• The reach of public services needs reflected on :
contributions analysis and wellbeing
• Better measurement would help : integration and
independence