About the tool

The LSP Improvement Tool, is one of a series of products developed from the Audit Commission national study ‘Working Better Together? Managing local strategic partnerships’.

Using the tool is voluntary. It is designed to help LSPs improve by providing a series of questions and responses around seven themes, and links to case studies and guidance materials. The questions in the tool follow a whole systems approach to performance improvement (used in the national study), relating to each of the following seven elements:

• Sustainable Community Strategy
• Staff and Skills
• Style
• Synergies
• Steering
• Standards
• Systems

The model below shows how these elements fit together. The elements must work together to deliver a whole systems improvement.

Using the tool

The questions will ask you to evaluate how well your LSP is doing. Colour coded responses are provided to help you through the improvement process. You will need to score each question separately as red, amber, or green. Green responses are the ‘ideal’ position.

The LSP Improvement Tool is designed to provide you with a whole systems report on the strengths and weaknesses of your LSP.

In advance of using the tool, we advise you to access the complete set of questions: ‘LSP Improvement Tool: Questions’ (PDF file, 25 pages, 134 KB). You may want to discuss your responses with your LSP partners before completing the online tool.

Your LSP coordinator should then register to the Improvement Network to access and complete the tool on behalf of your LSP.

Your LSP coordinator should be the only person to complete the tool.

In completing the questions, your answers and action planning notes will be captured in a report, outlining your LSPs strengths and weaknesses. This report can be downloaded to help with discussion at future LSP meetings.

The image below is an example of what your overview report might look like, based on the answers you have provided.

How to access the tool

To access the tool, your LSP coordinator will need to register to the Improvement Network. Registering will also provide access to other Improvement Tools, available for free on the Improvement Network, covering generic management topics.

Access the: 'LSP Improvement Tool'. The direct link is: www.lsptool.improvementnetwork.gov.uk.

If you have any questions about the tool and how to use it, please contact the Improvement Network helpdesk: help@improvementnetwork.gov.uk

Future planning

You do not have to complete all questions in one session. The tool is designed for your LSP to use periodically to find out what its strengths and weaknesses are at a given point of time. You may want to use it quarterly as part of your LSP performance management arrangements.