How does the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) work on deprivation affect the Arbuthnott Index?
SIMD has been adopted as the standard measure of multiple deprivation by the Scottish Executive. The SIMD pulls together a large number of indicators to produce indices for a number of domains, e.g. income. The Arbuthnott Index is not an indicator of deprivation but an indicator of healthcare needs. The research to review the index and the adjustment for morbidity and life circumstances has considered a variety of data sources that could reflect health care needs, including many of the data sources used in SIMD. See Technical Report D, prepared for consultation, for more information on the review of morbidity and life circumstances in the Formula.
