Sub-questions

Has the need for a programme been established?

Is there a clear understanding of the current position, the shortcomings that the programme is intended to address and the desired outcome? And is it clear that the programme, if delivered, would address the need?

Are there clear, realistic objectives and an understanding of what success looks like?

Essential evidence

Statement of what the programme is intended to achieve - likely to be in the strategic business case.

Need for programme - examples from our studies

Our 2018 report Improving children and young people's mental health services found that even if current initiatives are delivered as intended, there would remain significant unmet need for mental health services among young people. Moreover, unmet need is likely to be higher than previously thought, given that a prevalence survey, published just after our report, showed the proportion of children and young people with a mental health condition had increased. Significant weaknesses in the data undermined the government's understanding of its progress and whether additional funding had been spent as intended. In particular, the NHS could not reliably track progress against one of its key targets to treat an additional 70,000 children and young people.

We reported on the Bank of England's (the Bank's) Progress delivering the 'One Mission, One Bank' strategy, a strategy launched in March 2014 following an expansion of its responsibilities and number of staff. The three-year strategy aimed to bring together various parts of the expanded Bank into a more unified, single institution. Our 2017 progress report found that the Bank had developed a well‑thought‑through strategy based on a clear diagnosis of the issues to be addressed. In most cases, there was a link between the Bank's action plan and the initial identification of the issues to be tackled. Clear responsibilities for delivering the strategy were established before it was launched, along with effective arrangements for tracking progress. By March 2017, the Bank had reorganised its operations and delivered many of the component parts of the strategy. The report noted that some of the more challenging aspects, such as embedding cultural change and delivering significant data projects, would require a long-term effort.

Other relevant reports

Sustainability and transformation in the NHS (paragraph 14)

Developing new care models through NHS vanguards (paragraph 8)

Rolling out Universal Credit (paragraph 8)

E20: renewing the Eastenders set (paragraph 6)