Fifteen years of national outcomes – what’s next for Scotland’s National Performance Framework?
Scotland's National Performance Framework celebrates its fifteenth birthday. An update on progress and some next steps.
Committee publishes its National Performance Framework inquiry report
The Finance and Public Administration Committee has been looking at how the National Outcomes shape Scottish Government policy aims and spending decisions, and in turn, how this drives delivery at national and local level. The Committee's report was published on 3 October 2022.
Find out more about the inquiry.
National Performance Framework newsletter
We sent out the first edition of the NPF News at the end of March 2022. It'll be arriving in inboxes on a monthly basis, packed with NPF updates and wellbeing policy news.
Leadership, collective ownership and delivering the National Outcomes
The Scottish Leaders Forum (SLF) has been exploring how leaders can better build their contribution to the National Outcomes into how they work. Their report, 'Leadership, collective ownership and delivering the national outcomes' sets out how this can be achieved - with some tools to help and examples of good practice.
Download the report from the SLF website.
Committee investigates the National Performance Framework
The Scottish Parliament's Finance and Public Administration Committee is looking at how the National Outcomes shape Scottish Government policy aims and spending decisions and how this drives delivery, nationally and locally.
The Committee is looking for views from organisations that have used the National Outcomes to shape their policy making, decision taking and delivery.
Find the details on the Scottish Parliament Calls for Views website.
Five things you’ve told us about the National Performance Framework
Thank you to everyone who took part in our survey about using the National Performance Framework (NPF). We wanted to get a better understanding of what you use the NPF for, and how we can improve what we offer to help you get what you need. We received an amazing 426 responses! Here are our top five takeaways.
Read more about our survey results
Improving how we predict and measure our impact
Along with Social Investment Scotland and CivTech we're seeking a streamlined, user friendly way to predict impact when planning future projects. And then track developing outputs and outcomes to demonstrate their full impact.
Read more about our CivTech challenge
Wellbeing: Wha’s like us?
We review our National Outcomes regularly to make sure they reflect what matters most to people in Scotland. Just now, as we plan the next review, we’ve been looking at what’s happening elsewhere in the world. Helping us see what is uniquely ‘Scottish’. And to consider what we might learn from others.
Read more about what we've learned
Analytical report: Scotland's Wellbeing: The Impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our health, economy and society, with damaging impacts on the way of life and wellbeing of people in Scotland. This report aims to report on how COVID-19 has affected progress towards Scotland’s National Outcomes.
- Read our post summarising the findings of the report
- Read Scotland's Wellbeing: The Impact of COVID-19
The impact of COVID-19 on our reporting
The COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact across Scotland, including on progress towards the National Outcomes.
The impact of COVID-19 is not yet reflected in many of the National Indicators, and may not be seen for some time. This is because of the nature of the National Indicators selected and the way the Scottish Government collects, processes and publishes the data that underpin the National Indicators.
The Scottish Government has published a range of data that is relevant to the National Outcomes as part of its reporting on the Four Harms of COVID-19.
We are exploring more timely sources of information on the impact of COVID-19 on the National Outcomes. We will consider the impact on Scotland as a whole. Where data permits, we will also consider the impact on particular groups within the Scottish population.
The impact of social housing
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), has created a Social Value Toolkit. The toolkit will help housing associations and co-operatives measure and increase the social value they create in their communities.
A national review to drive action
Published on 30 July, this report brings together evidence, actions and stories of how we are making progress to meet the SDGs in Scotland. The review was a collaborative effort between the SDG Network Scotland, Scottish Government and COSLA.
Read 'Scotland and the sustainable development goals: a national review to drive action'
More than pounds and pence: A national framework for valuing Scotland’s land
The Scottish Land Commission has published guidance which places wellbeing at the heart of developing vacant or derelict land. In this post, Kathie Pollard, Policy Officer at the Commission, explains the thinking behind the guidance.
Citizens' Assembly of Scotland
During the third weekend of the Assembly (17-19 January 2020), members focused on 'Sustainability' – exploring their priority statement: “…the kind of Scotland we are seeking to build will be a sustainable country balancing environmental, economic and social impacts for the good of the country and its citizens”.
Read our briefing on the National Performance Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals - which supported the Assembly's deliberations.
Why the National Performance Framework needs to be kinder to itself
The Carnegie UK Trust began its work on measuring wellbeing with a high-level Roundtable on ‘Measuring What Matters in Scotland’ in 2010. They have continued to be closely involved in the development of Scotland’s wellbeing approach over the subsequent decade. In September 2019, the Trust asked us to pause and consider how Scotland could take forward our wellbeing approach over the next ten years – making some specific recommendations for the National Performance Framework.
Read more about Carnegie's seven next steps for the NPF
Does the National Performance Framework mean anything to the third sector?
That’s the question a group of third sector organisations were answering at an event in June 2019. If the answer had been “no”, it would have been an embarrassingly short event! But fortunately we had a productive discussion about the many ways the National Performance Framework (NPF) is relevant to the third sector. We also explored how to overcome barriers to third sector engagement with the NPF.