Final Report on RREF 2001 - Department of Health

Part C: Outcomes
Step 6: Outcomes of weighting for need variables
6.1 METHOD AND OUTCOMES REPORTED
Two sets of results were reported in the Options Paper for the initial options of weighting for six
need variables, and the same results are reported here for the revised options for the five
variables selected for weighting for need, namely average need weightings for regions in Table
6.1 and comparisons with weightings for the current RREF in Table 6.2. In addition, the scaled
need scores for LGAs and percentage weightings are reported in Appendix 3.
Weighting for the five need variables involved three steps:
1. Scoring each variable for each LGA on a scale from 0 to 9, with high scores
representing high need for HACC services.
2. Adding the scaled scores from 0 to 9 for each LGA to obtain a total score for
each LGA out of a possible maximum of 45 (5 x 9);
3. Converting these scores out of 45 to percentages.
6.2 OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR WEIGHTING OF NEED
VARIABLES
The outcomes of taking the initial six need variables into account were reported at regional level
in the Options Paper and LGA level data were also presented at the Round 2 consultations. The
consultations sought views on the outcomes as follow:
The RREF allocates
resources on the basis of
relative need, and weighting
for the six need factors
shows variations in relative
need
• Do the regional weightings accord with your
understanding of variations in need?
Options for even and
different weighting of the
need variables are to be
modelled to illustrate the
effects of these approaches
to weighting
• It is important to understand that even
weighting does not mean that all need
variables make the same contribution to the
model, but that this depends on the actual
distribution of scaled scores at LGA level.
• Have the options for weighting of need
variable been adequately explained?
<strong>Final</strong> <strong>Report</strong> July 2001 69