Review of targets and indicators for health and social care in Scotland

Environment indicators

99. The indicators under this heading are clearly relevant to the overall aim of a flourishing, healthy population

Improve access to local green space ( NPF)

Increase natural capital ( NPF)

Increase the proportion of journeys to work made by public or active transport ( NPF)

Increase people's use of Scotland's outdoors ( NPF)

Increase physical activity ( NPF)

100. Access to green space is strongly correlated to a sense of wellbeing and adults who reported their health to be good or very good were much more likely to visit the outdoors once a week than adults who reported their health to be bad or very bad. Adults living in less deprived areas were also more likely to visit the outdoors weekly than those living in more deprived areas. The Care Inspectorate has produced a document on innovative practice it has encountered in encouraging outdoor play ^[14] . It seems that appropriate strategies are in place to encourage use of Scotland's outdoors. Information on activity is taken from the Scottish Household Survey.

101. Recommendations:

a) Obtaining data on use of outdoors for physical activity by infrequent surveys has obvious limitations in terms of accuracy and expense of collection. Local authorities may be able to monitor use of their leisure facilities and, increasingly, these problems might be overcome by using digital methods to collect information on activity and where it takes place.

b) At this time, it is likely that survey information remains our best option and no change is recommended.