ASCS and SACE Discovery Report

Coinciding with the publication of new guidance for the collection of the 2023/24 Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework indicators, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published a consultation document on the government's vision for the future collection and analysis of adult social care data: Care data matters: a roadmap for better data for adult social care. Accompanying the vision are a number of annexes, of which we are pleased to see the ASCS and SACE Discovery Report commissioned by DHSC on options for revising the Adult Social Care Survey (ASCS) and Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Cares in England (SACE). The report looked at the surveys’ content, representativeness, accessibility, delivery mode, frequency and timings.

Along with contributions from colleagues from Ipsos, University of Kent and the London School of Economics, Philip Provenzano, IPC Assistant Director provides his observations to the options appraisal, conclusions, and final recommendations in the report. A sample of the findings from the report include:

• Among stakeholders, there was agreement that the content of the surveys should primarily be driven by DHSC and local authority needs but should also reflect lived experience, being co-designed or co-produced to ensure it reflects the experience and aspirations of those with care and support needs.
• There was a consensus that the surveys are and should be used for measuring outcomes and experience rather than processes. Outcomes and experience were seen as distinct but equally important.
• Improving the accessibility of the survey for particular groups, and improving engagement and motivation to take part, could help improve participation, and the representativeness of the surveys more generally.
• The ASCS and SACE are currently locally administered by local authorities, with implications for efficiency and burden on them. An alternative delivery model would be to administer the surveys centrally with local authorities providing samples to the organisation appointed by DHSC or NHS Digital.

For any further details on this report, or if you would like to discuss how IPC can support your organisation explore how it measures performance and outcomes, please contact Philip Provenzano.