Follow the flame with figures

The 2012 Olympic Torch will travel across the UK starting from Land's End on 19 May and ending at the Olympic opening ceremony at Stratford on 27 July. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have today released a map that plots the approximate route and a linked range of key statistics for each evening stop. Users can click on a stop to reveal key statistics for the local authority where the stop is located. Statistics include the population, unemployment rate, life expectancy and house prices to name a few. A calendar function allows users to select a date and see where the torch is on a particular day, and several links take users to websites providing further information on the statistics for an area. 

Here's the information displayed for Norwich, where the flame is due to stop on July the 4th (day 47). It will travel through Norfolk after the previous day's stop in Peterborough.

The complete data behind the map, with relevant notes, metadata and source information, can be found in the data section  of  this release . 


Source: Office for National Statistics

Using online maps to address unwarranted variation in health

Writing in the Health Service Journal this week (subscription needed) paediatric registrar Dr Ronny Cheung highlights the NHS Atlas of Variation in Healthcare and in particular the Child Health Atlas as a useful tool in helping NHS commissioners reduce unwarranted variation in healthcare.

Unwarranted variation is a term associated with the work of professor Jack Wennberg who spent four decades documenting the geographic variation in the healthcare that patients receive in the United States. His assertion is that the variation occurs because healthcare is complex and there are many influencing factors. These include socioeconomic factors, differences in population age or gender and also innovation in healthcare delivery – which may lead to improvements in the quality of healthcare services delivered in one area.

Wennberg also believes that some variation is unwarranted. In other words, it should not be happening and can occur because healthcare professionals are not practising according to evidence-based clinical standards, or there is variation in clinical performance. It has also been shown that where there are high levels of healthcare provision, there are higher admission rates and more outpatient appointments.

The Child Health Atlas was devised as a way of illustrating the variation in healthcare children receive across 27 indicators of child health. It was compiled by the Child and Maternal Health Observatory and for the first time provides a visual online demonstration of variations across the breadth of child health services provided in England. You can read how ChiMat worked with InstantAtlas here. The Child Health Atlas allows users to view any of the 27 indicators at upper tier Local Authority or PCT level. The extent of the variation is considerable. For example, perinatal mortality varies twofold among PCTs in England and breastfeeding rates threefold.

The intention is that clinicians, commissioners and service users will be able to identify priority areas for improving outcome, quality and productivity. The question is, now that we have the tools to reduce unwarranted variation in the shape of the Child Health Atlas, whether we will see a coordinated effort. Commissioners, local authorities (now responsible for public health) and provider organisations will have to work together to reduce variation. However, there are some who believe this in increasingly unlikely and that health and social care delivery is likely to be fragmented as a result of the Health and Social Care Act. As with so many things in healthcare delivery, it is going to be a case of having to wait and see.

Source - Health Service Journal via Instant Atlas Blog

Crime in England and Wales, Quarterly First Release to December 2011

Following the Home Secretary’s acceptance of the recommendations of the National Statistician’s Review of crime statistics in June 2011, the collation and publication of Crime Statistics moved to the ONS from 1 April 2012.

This is the first publication of Crime Statistics following the transfer from The Home Office and presents the most recent crime statistics from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (formerly known as the British Crime Survey) and police recorded crime. Key findings include:

• Latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) show no statistically significant change in overall crime while crimes recorded by the police fell by 3 per cent in 2011 compared with the previous year.
• These findings continue recent trends with CSEW crime remaining fairly flat since 2004/05 and recorded crime showing small year on year reductions.
• While there has not been a rise in overall crime, there were increases in some sub-categories. For example, the police recorded a 5 per cent increase in the other theft group and a 3 per cent increase in robbery.
• Generally, other acquisitive crimes did not increase. The police recorded a 3 per cent fall in domestic burglaries and a 7 per cent fall in offences against vehicles while the survey showed no statistically significant change in comparable categories.

Data about crime recorded by the police for Norfolk includes:

• 42,800 crimes recorded.
• Overall, there is 0% change from last year.
• % increases since last year include violence against the person; sexual offences; other theft; drug offences.
• % decreases since last year include robbery; burglary; vehicle offences; fraud and forgery; criminal damage.

Link to ONS Crime Statistical Bulletin on Crime in England and Wales, 1/4ly 1st Release to December 2011

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), April 2012

2011 Census prospectus

A prospectus released at the end of March by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) sets out the release plans for the 2011 Census statistics. Because of the breadth and depth of census data, the 2011 Census statistics are being released in stages. Questionnaires were received back from households in spring 2011, containing information about the population such as household types, demographic characteristics, and qualifications. The 2011 Census statistics will provide a detailed snapshot of the population of England, and of Wales, and through comparison will reveal changes in society since the last census in 2001.

• First release July 2012: Census population estimates by age and sex (five year age bands and sex at local authority level) and estimates of occupied households

•  Second release November 2012 – February 2013: Key Statistics and Quick Statistics (Univariate tables in 2001)

• Third release March 2013 – June 2013: Local Characteristics (CAS tables in 2001)

• Fourth release July 2013 – October 2013: Detailed Characteristics (Standard tables in 2001), Detailed Theme tables and Armed Forces tables.

A statistical commentary will appear alongside every major release of 2011 Census statistics. This will provide description and context around each topic, provide comparability with the 2001 Census outputs, and highlight further sources of information where applicable. A statistical bulletin will accompany each stage of release of 2011 Census statistics.

ONS will provide an animated visualisation to look at the population results alongside the first release of 2011 Census statistics. The population pyramid will allow users to browse statistics, comparing age and sex distributions across England and across Wales, and to compare two areas simultaneously.

Population pyramids will be available for England and Wales combined, England and Wales separately, and sub-national layers. Users will be able to interactively explore the size and structure of each area, actively interrogating age bands, track change from 2001 and export images for incorporation in analysis.

A population and household estimates statistical bulletin will accompany the first release of 2011 Census statistics. This will highlight any key changes from 2001, for example changes in fertility and mortality rates, and changes in the population structure (in terms of ages).

Keep me informed

You can sign up for prospectus email alerts. These will be sent out every time prospectus content is updated.

Full details from the 2011 Census prospectus can be found here.

Source

Office for National Statistics, March 2012