Do statistics provide a sort of ground truth, anchoring our perceptions of the world? Last year I was invited to participate in a conference on digital innovation in mental health, run by the excellent Dr Becky Inkster. The theme was “ground truth”, that is, the perceptions and experiences of each individual and how they feel […]
This year I’ve written 9 blogs, ranging from an exploration of data gaps to a celebration of the armchair epidemiologists. I was thinking of making it to double figures, setting out my reflections across a tumultuous year. And describing my pride in what the Office for Statistics Regulation team has delivered. But, as so often […]
Effie Roberts and Isabel Ralphs joined our team as placement students in September this year. Difficult as this year has been, both of them have used the challenges to their advantage and have made great strides to develop their skills. From conquering imposter syndrome to ‘peeking behind the scenes’ of statistics, Effie and Isabel tell […]
In March 2020, the NHS Business Service Authority (NHSBSA) contacted us to assess its Prescription Cost Analysis: England statistics. NHSBSA is a new official statistics producer, with a change in ownership of the publication of these statistics prompting this assessment. Earlier this month, we published the Assessment Report on the NHSBSA’s Statistics on Prescription Cost […]
During the coronavirus pandemic we have seen statistics and data take an increasingly prominent role in press conferences, media interviews and statements. Governments across the UK have used data to justify decisions which impact on everyone in society, including restrictions on retail, travel and socialising. In using these data we have seen examples of good […]
This is a guest blog from Andy Haldane and Gavin Wallis, Industrial Strategy Council There’s a reason that the UK’s weak productivity performance since the financial crisis is still referred to as a “puzzle”. Despite copious amounts of research, including some of our own, we still have a long list of candidate explanations. In […]
Today we published the UK Statistics Authority’s Annual Review of Casework 2019/20. In the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) we champion production and use of statistics that serve the public good. To do this we need to understand the issues the public are interested in and be aware of concerns you may have about data […]
We are, apparently, living in a world awash with data. Data are available in ever greater quantity and with ever greater frequency. Yet alongside this abundance, there is a realisation that data gaps still exist. “What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people, households and communities in Great Britain?” This is a question […]
Only with a fuller picture, drawing on a range of robust sources of statistics and further evidence, will government statistics be able to fully represent the lived experiences of homeless people in the UK.
To help us celebrate World Statistics Day on Tuesday 20 October, John Pullinger, President of the International Association for Official Statistics, has written this guest blog. The last few months have been a dark time. There has been tragedy that has touched our families and communities. We struggle to see what is really going on […]