Traffic Lights - Health Profiles

What are Traffic Lights?

Traffic Lights 2009 provide a colour-coded picture of health status in our communities, making it easier to see 'at a glance' the issues that may need to be addressed.

Individual Traffic Lights reports are available for each Multi-Member Ward in Grampian.  Maps of the wards in Grampian are available on http://www.lgbc-scotland.gov.uk/maps/mapindex.htm

Statistics Supplements are also available, to be used in conjunction with the Traffic Lights reports.

What are they for?

The Traffic Lights have been designed to:

• Make it easier to understand health information.
• Provide health and non-health staff with a systematic, structured tool.
• Make it easier to see differences between geographical areas.
• Give a starting point for discussion on health issues.
• Flag issues that need to be investigated further.
• Help planners pinpoint areas and topics for action.

Where did the information come from?

Traffic Lights take information from the ScotPHO 'Community Health and Wellbeing Profiles 2008' http://www.scotpho.org.uk/home/comparativehealth/profiles/chp-profiles.asp

How do the Traffic Lights work?

The Traffic Lights take the 'percentage below or above the Scotland average' and simplify it by assigning colour coding as follows:

Health Indicators - Traffic Lights
Red - more than 5% worse than Scotland average
Green - more than 5% better than Scotland average
Amber - within + or - 5% of Scotland average

Population Indicators - Blue Lights
For some indicators, being different to the Scotland average doesn't mean being 'worse' or 'better', but it might still be useful information - eg it may help to know that the community has a higher percentage of elderly in the population. For these indicators, we have assigned Blue Lights as follows: Light blue - more than 5% less than Scotland average

Dark blue - more than 5% more than Scotland average
Mid blue - within + or - 5% of Scotland average

('Blank' traffic light means data not available.)

By using the colour coding, it is much easier to see 'at a glance' the issues that may need to be addressed.
 

For further information about Traffic Lights:

For information on the development of the Traffic Lights tool, please contact:

Linda Leighton-Beck
Social Inclusion Manager
01224 558743
Linda.leighton-beck@nhs.net,  Linda.Leighton-Beck@ghb.grampian.scot.nhs.uk

For further specific information about Traffic Lights, please contact:

Jackie Fleming
01224 558514
Jackie.Fleming@nhs.net 

Fred Nimmo
01224 558655
Fred.Nimmo@nhs.net 

By post at:

Public Health Unit
NHS Grampian
Summerfield House
2 Eday Road
Aberdeen
AB15 6RE

If you need this information in an alternative format (large print etc.) or in another language please contact:
Email: grampian@nhs.net

Tel: 01224 554400
NHS Grampian
Corporate Communications
Ashgrove House
Foresterhill
Aberdeen
AB25 2ZA