Data quality assurance policy
All effective organisations measure their performance in order to know how well they are performing and to identify opportunities for improvement. It is a vital component in the drive to improve services.
The effective use of performance measurement depends on indicators that are robust and accurate. There needs to be sufficient operational data available to be sure that performance is on track, and so that early warning can be given if targets may be missed.
Good quality information is essential for sound decision making at every level and is an underpinning element of the council’s Corporate Integrated Planning and Performance Framework (CIPPF). It is vital that the performance information used to inform, manage and plan activities is accurate, reliable and comparable, both over time and with different authorities/service providers.
Data quality assurance involves identifying processes, applying standards, assessing performance and providing guidelines, templates and tools to enable and sustain improvement. In order to achieve and maintain a high level of data quality, Walsall Council has approved a Data Quality Assurance Policy. The policy aims to:
- Make Walsall Council a leading authority on the collection, recording, analysis and reporting of accurate, reliable and consistent performance data to inform the decision making process
- Provide council employees with a framework to ensure sufficient action is being taken to meet the data quality objectives set
- Meet external audit standards and requirements
- Make a significant impact on the council’s path to excellence requirements in relation to data integrity and decision making processes
The policy is accompanied by a robust delivery plan with clearly identified actions, responsibilities and timescales to support improvement and meet the challenges of external audit. This will be used to drive improvements in data quality within the council and will be co-ordinated by the corporate performance management team.
The policy will be kept under review and will be amended as necessary to reflect any changes in national standards or requirements, as well as redefining local practices and monitoring arrangements where applicable.
Data quality assurance policy (PDF 99KB)
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