Scotland's Public Service Reform Strategy: Delivering for Scotland

Part Five – How we will measure and understand progress

5.1 Measuring and Monitoring Progress

The scope of the work in this Strategy is wide. It needs to be if it is to tackle the deep seated challenges we face and deliver the reform required to transform public services. Each of the Workstreams and Programmes in this Strategy has its own governance and evaluation framework.

But we must also monitor and evaluate impact at a system wide level to ensure coordination. This will be undertaken by our Public Service Reform Board. The PSR Board brings external input from public bodies, local government, third and private sector to provide advice and challenge on progress of PSR within Scottish Government. The Board is co-chaired by the Minister for Public Finance and Director-General Strategy and External Affairs.

We will implement a portfolio management approach within Government to enable this change and to drive associated cultural change. This will provide clarity on the vision, scope (including supporting projects), outcomes, timelines, key enablers, dependencies, roles and responsibilities of those responsible for delivery. It will also include clarity on how we will monitor, report and measure progress, tied back to the vision and outcomes outlined in this Strategy.

We are currently developing, and will publish our Theory of Change and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework to support this work, and provide the tools needed for effective evaluation and coordination.

5.2 Equalities and Human Rights

As well as publishing our Equalities Impact Assessment of this Strategy, and committing to refreshing this as we deliver the commitments within, we will continue to meet all statutory requirements on impact assessments.

Taking a human rights based approach is about making sure that people’s rights are put at the centre of policy and practice. Scottish Government is a duty bearer, or has human rights obligations, which means we must respect, protect and fulfil human rights. We are accountable to rights holders to do so.