Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Rejected
Department acknowledges need to better link performance metrics with claimant outcomes.
Recommendation
We also asked the Department how it would ensure that the performance indicators and metrics it used encapsulated the outcomes intended from the Programme, and linked outputs to these outcomes. The Department acknowledged that there was more that it can do to “link some of these input/output metrics with outcomes”. It similarly recognised that the overall objectives for the Programme were around “making a difference in outcomes for individuals’ lives, making the right decision first time, increasing trust and understanding of the process, and helping more people into work”.26 20 Qq 26–27 21 C&AG’s Report, paras 3.14–3.15, 3.17 22 Q 20 23 Q 29 24 Q 32; Department for Work & Pensions, Health Transformation Programme evaluation strategy, 25 May 2023 25 Qq 32–33; C&AG’s Report, figure 13 26 Q 33 Revising health assessments for disability benefits 13
Government Response Summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the recommendation. It acknowledges the need for transparency and states it will refine its performance measurement approach as the programme matures, including defining and tracking outcome indicators, and will continue to publish management information quarterly.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 The government agrees with the premise of transparency; the department will publish information once available and sufficiently robust. The Programme is in its early stages and is currently creating the right environment to transform services. As set out in the HTP Evaluation Strategy (May 2023), the department will refine its performance measurement approach as the Programme matures. This will include defining and tracking outcome indicators incorporating benefits to claimants. 3.3 In line with Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) Code of Practice for Statistics, the department has started to publish management information (MI) and will continue to develop plans for publishing metrics. On 19 December 2023, the department published the first in a new series of HTP MI. Publication of this MI will continue quarterly in line with the PIP Official Statistics release schedule. 3.4 As the Programme and underlying data systems mature, the department will evolve this publication to report against the nine key performance indicators (KPIs) and underlying performance metrics. The department will consider the value of publishing annual progress reports in addition to these quarterly statistics. 3.5 As set out in the HTP Evaluation Strategy, the department is evaluating services as they develop and iterate. This includes conducting research with claimants to understand their experiences of new services. This approach ensures that scaling of these services occurs safely and that services can iterate accordingly. The department will explore publication of evaluation findings, in accordance with Government Social Research protocols, when appropriate to do so.