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National

Opportunities in practice: Outcome measurement in mental health

Victoria led a national project to develop resource for mental health staff in using the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection (NOCC) measures in clinical practice. This resulted in the collaboration, development and publication of Opportunities in practice: Outcome measurement in mental health released in November 2008. It was produced electronically in a dynamic format with navigation within the document as well as live links to relevant websites. The resource details strategies, principles and techniques for using consumer outcomes in clinical practice and is designed to be used in sections.

Each section links to relevant National strategies and policy documents such National Standards for Mental Health Services and the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce.

Mental health service staff are encouraged to utilise relevant components of this resource in their everyday practice. The resource utilises a mind map. At its centre sits ‘consumer outcomes – tools for’ and branches into six sections:

• Getting started
• Engaging
• Practice
• Supporting functions
• Workforce development
• Resource

Copy of this resource can be downloaded here:

Opportunities in practice: Outcome measurement in mental health (PDF file 7.41mb)

The Opportunities in practice: Outcome measurement in mental health (Version 1 2008) has been adapted for access on this website and is available here in a html format in the following sections:

• Getting started – this section provides a foreword, an explanation of the navigation in the primary version of the resource, a contents list, references and appendices.

• Engaging – this section identifies all of the major stakeholders in routine collection and utilisation of consumer outcomes and provides a range of strategies and principles to engage these groups including clinicians, consumers (offering the self-assessment and dialogue), carers, managers. It also talks to partnerships and provides endorsements.

• Practice – this section explores the role of assessment; care planning; review including clinical review strategies, Mental Health Review Board, Office of Chief Psychiatrists; and discharge planning.

• Supporting functions – this section addresses the issues associated with documentation, policies and procedures. It also provides some practical tips and suggestions and poses some questions to interrogate and analyse the aggregated data.

• Workforce development – this section, in the absence of a national training framework, puts forward some key areas, minimum requirements and recommended duration for training. This is pitched to the four key groups of staff in mental health services including managers, clinicians, consumer and carer consultants as well as trainers.

• Resources – this section differentiates between the two key resource areas – people and materials. The materials component includes those developed at a national, state and territory level.

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‘The Clinical Utility of the HoNOS(CA)’ is a simple strategy that can be used by multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) to utilise their HoNOS(CA) data and make it clinically useful for them and their clients. For some teams, this may provide a format that can improve the communication between team members about clients and/or improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the MDT.

The strategy was developed by Malcolm Stewart (PhD PGDipClinPsych, Professional Leader – Psychology, Counties Manukau District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand) and was presented at the Australasian Mental Health Outcomes Conference 2007 in Wellington and again in Melbourne at the Make measures matter forum in 2009.

Strategy for clinical utility of HoNOS in multi-disciplinary team - Malcolm Stewart (PDF file 839kb)

Strategies for making HoNOSCA, HoNOS and HoNOS65+ a useful tool for your clinical team (PPT file 695kb)

Using HoNOSCA to help plan care and recovery - poster (PDF file 168kb)

Using HoNOS to help plan for care and recovery - poster (PDF file 167kb)

Using HoNOS in team meetings to plan for care and recovery - process (PDF file 11kb)

Using HoNOS in MDT review - format (Word file 32kb)

AMHOCN clinical utility materials

In 2005-2006 the Western Cluster QUATRO Project, in collaboration with consumers and carer consultants developed a range of promotional materials for consumers and carers about the self-assessment process. These materials were funded by Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN) and have been distributed around Australia.

A DVD was also developed by AMHOCN in collaboration with the Western Cluster QUATRO Project. This DVD shows consumer and carer consultants and clinicians talking about the opportunities of participating in OM. This DVD was designed to be used in conjunction with other training materials. For more information please go to www.mhnocc.org.

Victorian

Outcome measurement publications overview and suggested uses

This document provides an overview of the outcome measurement publications produced between November 2008 and June 2009. These resources have been developed by the time-limited Mental Health and Drugs Division outcome measurement team (Angie Hunter, Karen Williams, Melanie Rygl, Anna Crowley and Keir Saltmarsh) following extensive collaboration.

Copies can be downloaded here:

Outcome measurement publications overview and suggested uses (PDF file 3.8mb)

Achieving positive results: ratings in practice

PLEASE NOTE:

This resource was designed and published in a flip book format. Due to requests from the sector it has been made available here as a PDF document.

It contains practical examples and suggestions for using the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection (NOCC) measures in clinical practice.  Content extracted from the 2008 resource Opportunities in practice: outcome measurement in mental health.

Designed to provide guidance and advice for mental health clinicians in using the outcome measurement (OM) ratings and process in clinical practice and clinical decision making.

Culturally and linguistically diverse communities and outcome measurement: guidelines for clinicians

Provides general guidance for clinicians in rating the NOCC measures with consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Consideration and use by mental health clinicians when working with consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Copies of this brochure can be ordered by mental health services via ordering publications.

Instrument leaflets

Copies of the following leaflets can be downloaded here or ordered by mental health services via ordering publications.

Child and adolescent mental health services HoNOSCA ratings reference guide (PDF file 66kb) - Details relevant HoNOS version rating reference guide. Front page details the clinically significant score framework and the maximum score. The back page details individual items grouped by subscale. Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

Child and adolescent mental health services NOCC measures (PDF file 67kb) - Details relevant measures (CAMHS, Adult, and Aged) used in the NOCC suite. Front page includes measures full name and number of questions; the rater and what the instrument provides. The back page outlines the individual measures purpose, usual rating period (and exceptions to this) Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

SDQ – scores interpretation (PDF file 68kb) - Scores interpretation (close to average/close to average, slightly raised/slightly low, highly substantial/low substantial) provided per subscale. Back page provides the individual items per subscale. Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff in child and adolescent services. To be considered when interpreting the SDQ.

Victorian adult mental health services HoNOS ratings reference guide (PDF file 66kb) - Details relevant HoNOS version rating reference guide. Front page details the clinically significant score framework and the maximum score. The back page details individual items grouped by subscale. Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

Victorian adult mental health services NOCC measures (PDF file 79kb) - Details relevant measures (CAMHS, Adult, and Aged) used in the NOCC suite. Front page includes measures full name and number of questions; the rater and what the instrument provides. The back page outlines the individual measures purpose, usual rating period (and exceptions to this) Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

Victorian aged mental health services HoNOS65+ ratings reference guide (PDF file 66kb) - Details relevant HoNOS version rating reference guide. Front page details the clinically significant score framework and the maximum score. The back page details individual items grouped by subscale. Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

Victorian aged mental health services NOCC measures (PDF file 67kb) - Details relevant measures (CAMHS, Adult, and Aged) used in the NOCC suite. Front page includes measures full name and number of questions; the rater and what the instrument provides. The back page outlines the individual measures purpose, usual rating period (and exceptions to this) Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

Victorian adult and aged mental health services NOCC measures LSP-16 & BASIS-32^® (PDF file 69kb) - Adult and aged mental health services NOCC measures; individual items groups by subscale LSP-16 (front) and BASIS-32^® (back). Designed to be a quick reference guide for clinical mental health staff.

Outcome measurement in mental health factsheets

Copies of the following factsheets can be downloaded here or ordered by mental health services via ordering publications factsheets 1-3.

1 What's in it for me? (PDF file 622kb) - Talks about the self-assessment process, using outcome measures in planning care as well as privacy and confidentiality. Copies of this factsheet can be downloaded here or ordered by mental health services via ordering publications.

2 What measures are used? (PDF file 634kb) - Outlines measures used routinely in Australian mental health services as part of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection (NOCC). There is a summary table of measures used in Victoria which include NOCC measures, specific forensic measures and self-assessment measures used in psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support services (PDRSS). Copies of this factsheet can be downloaded here or ordered by mental health services via ordering publications.

3 What happens to the ratings? (PDF file 675kb) - Discusses documentation, protections afforded by Mental Health Act 1986 and the Health Records Act 2001. It also mentions the statewide database and outcome measurement (OM) reporting options. Copies of this factsheet can be downloaded here or ordered by mental health services via ordering publications.

4 frequently asked questions – some sticky points (PDF file 885kb) - Draws together queries from the sector and is grouped into: general issues; common scenarios; specific issues and client management interface (CMI).

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Communiqué

Copies are available here for download and will be sent to form trial participants, forum attendees and participating services.

Strengthening consumer participation in self-assessment (PDF file 682kb) - Overview of completed activities (detachable information sheet form trial, engagement of consumer and carer consultants, development of a range of resources) and activity on the horizon (trial of touch screen for consumer completion of the BASIS-32^®).

Make measures matter forum summary (PDF file kb) - Overview of the registration/attendance; collation of information from feedback form as well as details of the three afternoon break out sessions.

Activities in focus

A bulletin with national and Victorian developments in outcome measurement (OM) between 2007 and 2009 with consumer outcome measurement (OM) is available here:

Outcome measurement (OM) update – June 2009 (PDF file 683kb)

Outcome measurement (OM) update - February 2009 (PDF file 591kb)

Outcome measurement (OM) update - December 2008 (PDF file 811kb)

Outcome measurement (OM) update - October 2008 (PDF file 949kb)

QUATRO VIC update - July 2008  (PDF file 717kb)

QUATRO VIC update - March 2008 (PDF file 472kb)

QUATRO VIC update - December 2007 (PDF file 385kb)

QUATRO VIC update - October 2007 (PDF file 322kb)

For consumers and carers

What do the HoNOS/CA/65+ item ratings mean? (PDF file 70kb)
Provides a plain-English explanation of what action is required when a clinician has rated individual items of the HoNOS/CA/65+ as either 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 or not rated (9). It also includes an overview of the HoNOS used in child and adolescent (HoNOSCA), adult (HoNOS) and aged (HoNOS65+).  Written specifically for consumers to facilitate dialogue with clinician about the HoNOS ratings and what that might mean for care planning.
Copies can be downloaded here or ordered by public mental health service consumers and carers via ordering publications.

About BASIS-32® Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale Questionnaire Brochure (PDF file 515kb)
Provides a plain-English overview of the BASIS-32® to raise awareness and encourage participation in self-assessment. Written for consumers new to service or new to participating in consumer self-assessment.
Copies can be downloaded here or ordered by public mental health service consumers and carers via ordering publications.

Your life…your health…your voice! - Information sheet and detachable BASIS-32^® form
Designed for mental health staff to provide to consumers. Style and content is designed to promote dialogue and encourage consumer participation in self-assessment. Format is A3 size folded in half with perforation down centre. The detachable information sheet can be kept by the consumer. The form is completed by the consumer and handed in to staff. The completed form is filed into the consumer’s medical record and entered onto the statewide database.
Copies can be ordered by public mental health services covered by licence to use the BASIS-32® via ordering publications.

Commonly asked questions about the BASIS-32^® (PDF file 862kb)
Commonly asked questions about the BASIS-32^® instrument leaflet has been developed in collaboration with the authors of the questionnaire to address concerns raised by consumers and staff in Victorian mental health services. Copies can be downloaded here or ordered by public mental health service consumers and carers via ordering publications.

Specific OM brochures for CAMHS and Aged Persons MHS
DHS developed (2004) the information brochures posted below in order to help inform consumers of mental health services and their carers about outcome measurement. Copies of these brochures can be downloaded here or ordered by mental health services via ordering publications.

Child and adolescent mental health services

Information brochure for adolescents - May 2004 (PDF file 51kb)

Information brochure for parents/guardians or caregivers - May 2004 (PDF file 55kb)

Information brochure for teachers - May 2004 (PDF file 52kb)

Aged persons mental health services

Information brochure for consumers - May 2004 (PDF file 50kb)

Information brochure for carers - May 2004 (PDF file 51kb)

Outcome measurement translations

Information brochures (as listed on this page) have also been translated into a range of community languages - Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish, Vietnamese - and are available for download via the Outcome measurement translations home page.

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