Stories from building and using the Index of Multiple Deprivation

1. Data for policy makers
Stories from building and using the
Index of Multiple Deprivation
Tom Smith
Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI)
tom.smith@ocsi.co.uk
@_datasmith
www.ocsi.co.uk
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

2. OCSI who?
• Improving local services through data and analysis
– Oxford University ‘spin-out’ 2004
– Worked with >200 public and community sector organisations
• Index of Multiple Deprivation 2015
• Tools to support local services & research teams
– Data Packs – Hampshire, Trafford & systems for >50 LAs
– Local Insight, Planning4care, Social Impact
– First government open data catalogue (Data4nr.net)
• Analysis and research projects
• Open data support – ODUG, Environment Agency
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

3. Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

4. Visualisation and data stories
www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/mar/29/indices-multiple-deprivation-poverty-england

5. • Solving a recognised problem …
where are the areas with highest need
• Transparent & trusted methodology
– Consultations. Open data and methodology
• > £1 billion per year.
– Openly reusable by any organisation
– Local and national government. Charities. Housing
Associations. Football Association. Health researchers.
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

6. The data you need
is not always under the street light

7. Indices of Deprivation data sources
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

8. Estimating mental health ‘need’
• No single indicator of mental health need captured the
issues we wanted to cover
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270
Hospital
admissions
GP
prescribing
DWP
benefits
Suicides
Mental health indicator

9. Estimating mental health ‘need’
• No single indicator of mental health need captured the
issues we wanted to cover
• Basket of indicators was used
– Combination of data sources > sum of the parts
• Mixture of open data & data from closed sources
– Not all valuable data is going to be open, eg sensitive benefits
and health statistics
• Finding the right data = detective work and sometimes
data licensing
– Search out (or construct) data that’s not under a street light
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

10. Engaging and helping users
to reuse your data

12. Maximising reuse / impact of the IMD
• Consultations with (potential) users – online &
workshops
• Technical report – how the data was constructed,
design choices etc
• Research report – examples of analysis, and
examples of how data used
• Guidance on how-to use, FAQs for users
• National Statistic – publication date announced one
month in advance
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

13. So what was the impact?
• Most visits to govt statistic page – 36,000 in Oct 2015
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

14. BBC news 30th September 2015
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

15. National and local media …
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

16. Local authorities and services reusing …
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

17. Research & analysis
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

18. Resource targeting & funding
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

19. So what was the impact?
• Most visits to govt statistic page – 36,000 in Oct 2015
• National & local media picking up headline messages
– #1 story on BBC media when launched
• Local authorities and services quickly reusing
• Researchers picking up messages for policy makers
• Resource targeting and funding
• Perhaps >£1 billion per year focused using the IMD
• http://indicesofdeprivation.co.uk/ and @indices2015
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

20. Data for policy makers
Stories from building and using the
Index of Multiple Deprivation
Tom Smith
Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI)
tom.smith@ocsi.co.uk
@_datasmith
www.ocsi.co.uk
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270

21. Image credits
• Neon open sign photo – Martin Alvarez Espinar http://bit.ly/1hDqoVv
• Overflowing – zoetnet http://bit.ly/1gcomzw
• Closed – Steve Snodgrass http://bit.ly/1edkGih
• All Access – Rebecca Siegel http://bit.ly/1gPg1h2
• John Wanamaker, Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wanamaker#mediaviewer/File:John
_Wanamaker.jpg
• Icons – The Noun Project http://thenounproject.com
Tom Smith, OCSI | www.ocsi.co.uk | @ocsi_uk | 01273 810 270