The Audit commission has unveiled a set of voluntary standards that define the arrangements public bodies can put in place to improve the quality of data they use to manage and report their activities.
Previous work in the police, health, youth offending and social care services which highlighted the importance of data quality in assessing performance has been used to develop the new guidelines.
In estabalishing the guidelines, the Audit Commission has incorporated recognised good practice already in iuse within the the public sector.
Steve Bundred, Chief Executive of the Audit Commission, said: 'Auditors recognise that service providers need reliable, accurate, timely and clear information to make judgements about the efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness of their services. Data quality is increasingly important and these voluntary standards have been put together to help organisations make often complex decisions about their priorities. They are not a rigid set of requirements but are intended to be used flexibly and proportionately, depending on local risks and circumstances. We are confident that these standards will assist public sector organisations in satisfying themselves and their stakeholders of the quality of data that supports their performance information. This in turn should ensure that they have reliable information that they can use to shape services and account to local people for performance.'
(c) Audit Commission, www.audit-commission.gov.uk | 
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