Policy
12 October, 2005
Improving Services, Improving Lives
Social Exclusion Unit interim report
A report by the Social Exclusion Unit, Improving Services, Improving Lives: Evidence and Key Themes, has today been published, looking at the way that public services are delivered to disadvantaged people in three broad categories:
- people with low levels of literacy;
- disabled people and people with long term health conditions; and
- people from certain ethnic minority groups.
Investigating how these three groups of people experience key public services, including health, employment services and benefits, education and training and housing, the report suggests there are some broadly common patterns:
- people from these groups are less likely to be aware of some of the services identified, including new and more innovative forms of delivery;
- people from these groups rely on some services, such as GPs and job centres, with higher rates of use than the general population, although they are less likely to use services that are discretionary in nature, or which require referral by a 'gatekeeper';
- they experience the worst outcomes from services;
- satisfaction rates with service delivery are often low, or mixed, for such groups of people.
Chapter 7 of the report looks explicitly at the role of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in delivering public services and identifies several key strengths of VCS organisations, including a better understanding of, and trust from, target groups, better flexibility and innovative approach to service delivery, and a longer term perspective on outcomes.
Along with recommending improved funding relationships between statutory bodies and VCS organisations delivering public services, and noting the vital role of Government in helping to build capacity in the VCS, there is a call for VCS organisations to improve its evidence base regarding effectiveness and value-for-money.
Some levers and incentives are noted, which can be summarised as:
- funding regimes, targets and other aspects of performance management ('levers and incentives' are fundamental in influencing how service providers behave, including in their delivery of services to disadvantaged people;
- inflexible service design can be a barrier to delivering effectively to the three groups, who may need support which is more intensive, longer-term or addresses multiple needs;
- short-term or unstable funding, as well as lack of funding for 'non-core' activities, can make it harder for service providers to develop more effective services for disadvantaged people;
- targets can incentivise 'creaming' of those most likely yo cross a threshold. They rarely incentivise soft outcomes or distance travelled, which are particularly important for people from disadvantaged groups, and they can have perverse effects; and
- involving users has a key role in driving better performance and making services more responsive to the needs of disadvantaged groups.
There will be forthcoming reports produced on Inclusion through innovation, looking at ICT, Young Adults with complex needs, Excluded older people, and Disadvantaged adults who move frequently.
Finally, the SEU request responses from disadvantaged people, and organisations working with them, concerning the findings of this interim report, including important evidence that may have been missed.
For more information about the report, including downloadable pdf files of the report itself, see Improving service delivery for disadvantaged adults
