The Audit Commission’s standards for better quality data identify a number of key factors that will help any organisation collect quality data to enable its performance to be measured. These include:

• Governance and leadership - putting in place a corporate framework for management and accountability of data quality, with clear leadership from the top and a commitment to secure a culture of data quality.
• Policies - having appropriate policies and procedures to secure the quality of data recorded and its use in reporting. This includes clear procedures for data collection, recording, analysis and reporting that are adopted across the organisation and where relevant by partners.
• Systems and processes - having systems and processes in place to secure data that is accurate, valid, reliable, timely, relevant and complete. Such systems should be based on the principle of joined up working and ‘right first time’ rather than having to employ data cleansing or manipulation processes to produce the information required. Where data is shared externally or provided by a third party, putting in place a data sharing protocol or service level agreement to ensure consistent quality of data, with validation processes.
• People and skills – making sure that staff at all levels within the organisation have the appropriate knowledge, competencies and capacity for their roles in relation to data quality. Ensuring data quality policies, procedures and guidance are widely communicated. Making arrangements to regularly review the relevance of the data collected and to ensure it is actively used in decision making processes. Applying a system of internal control and validation proportionate to risk.
  
  

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