MINI CASE 4.1

Surveys provide valuable information for organizations and governments to measure their performance, monitor strategies and policy decisions, and inform decisions. The value of this information is measured against the cost to collect the data and analyze it. In times of economic downturn the information value will inevitably be scrutinized and decisions are sometimes taken to curtail or restrict surveys even though there may be strong evidence to suggest otherwise.

Since 1971 the annual ONS General Lifestyle Survey has been undertaken on behalf of a number of government departments. The survey provides information on smoking and drinking habits and use of health services, as well as looking at the issues of housing, employment, education and income.

The main funds for this survey come from the NHS who contribute £300 000 pa. In April 2011 the BBC reported that the NHS has proposed that because of government cut-backs this contribution should cease. The threat to this survey prompted responses from the ONS and public health experts. The head of the UK Statistics Authority Sir Michael Scholar said the ‘ability of policy-makers to make informed decisions will be hit. . . and will seriously undermine the UK's ability to monitor key trends affecting public health'. In support of this statement public health experts say ‘the data in the survey is critical to developing effective health policies and holding the government to account for its actions'.