Why is this National Indicator important?
The quality of public services is part of the bedrock on which our society and future prosperity depends, and is crucial in shaping a flourishing, productive and equitable Scotland. Public services have the power to improve people's quality of life and enhance their opportunities. It is important, therefore, that they are high quality, efficient, continually improving and responsive to the needs of local people.
This indicator provides an overview of people's satisfaction with public services, based on three types of public services: health services, public transport and schools.
Satisfaction is an indicator of the public's perceptions of service quality; it reflects how it feels to use a service. Increasing people's perception of quality in public services allows us to address all the factors that drive forward customer satisfaction.
What will influence this National Indicator?
In general, people tend to be satisfied when their perceptions of the service they have received matches (or exceeds) their expectations. When the service provided falls below their expectations, they are likely to be dissatisfied.
People's expectations of public services are shaped by a combination of different factors, many of which are outwith the control of the service provider, such as reading or hearing about the service from other sources.
People's perceptions about services they have experienced directly will also likely reflect several aspects of the service, including: accuracy; being treated fairly; sympathetic staff; how long the service takes; the way the service kept its promises; the quality of the final outcome; and the way the service handled any problems.
What is the Government's role?
The Government is committed to: embedding an open and rigorous performance culture within Scotland's public services; ensuring greater clarity around the objectives of public organisations; and establishing clearer lines of accountability that help to bolster standards of service and improve outcomes.
Those who fund public services are entitled to know how public resources are used and to expect that services strive constantly to attain maximum value from every pound. For that reason, the Government has asked all parts of the public sector to report publicly on their plans to improve the value for money achieved by public services, actions undertaken and results achieved.
The indicator will show us nationally that, over a time period, public services are showing they understand people, that they are using performance and other data to drive their work, that the user experience of public services is improving and, crucially, public service providers are providing transparent feedback to users. Tracking public satisfaction is a powerful way of showing how well public services are listening to what people want, that they are improving services accordingly and that they are improving over time.
Rising satisfaction levels will show that people receive the services they really want, rather than what someone else thinks they should have.
How is Scotland performing?
In 2010, 64.0% of adults were satisfied with local health services, local schools and public transport. This is a slight decrease, of 0.9 percentage points, from 64.9% in 2009. However, there has been an overall increase of 6.9 percentage points from 57.1% since 2007 (the first year these data were collected).
The data for this chart is available at the bottom of the page
Source: Scottish Household Survey
Criteria for recent change
This evaluation is based on: any difference within +/- 1 percentage points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. An increase of 1 percentage points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas a decrease of 1 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.
Further Information
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Scotland Performs Technical Note
Who are our partners?
NHS Boards
Local authorities
And all organisations providing public services
Related Strategic Objectives
Wealthier and Fairer
Smarter
Healthier
Safer and Stronger
Greener