The purpose of the Activity based funding: Mental health care data set specification (ABF MHC DSS) is to collect information about patients receiving mental health care, funded by states and territories, that is associated with Australian public hospitals.
Mental health care is care in which the primary clinical purpose or treatment goal is improvement in the symptoms and/or psychosocial, environmental and physical functioning related to a patient’s mental disorder. Mental health care:
is delivered under the management of, or regularly informed by, a clinician with specialised expertise in mental health;
is evidenced by an individualised formal mental health assessment and the implementation of a documented mental health plan; and
may include significant psychosocial components, including family and carer support.
This includes services provided as assessment only activities.
The scope of the ABF MHC DSS is mental health care provided by services that are in-scope public hospital services under the National Health Reform Agreement 2011. This includes care delivered by specialised mental health services, public hospitals, Local Hospital Networks and non-government organisations (NGOs) managed or funded by state or territory health authorities.
Mental health care provided by services which are not in-scope public hospital services under the National Health Reform Agreement 2011 can also be reported.
Mental health care services that are considered in-scope may take place in admitted, ambulatory, emergency department or residential settings.
Collection and usage attributes
Statistical unit:
Episodes of mental health care
Collection methods:
Data are collected at each hospital from patient administrative, financial and other systems. Hospitals forward data to the relevant state or territory health authority on a regular basis (for example, monthly).
National reporting arrangements
State and territory health authorities provide the data to the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority for national collation, on a six monthly basis. Only episodes which have a formal or statistical discharge at the end of a reference period should be reported.
Periods for which data are collected and nationally collated
Financial years ending 30 June each year.
Implementation start date:
01/07/2016
Implementation end date:
30/06/2017
Comments:
Whilst it is recognised that there may be activity undertaken by non-specialised ambulatory health services that meet the definition of mental health care, it is also acknowledged that jurisdictional system capabilities may prevent this activity being reported through this data set.
While the DSS provides guidance on the circumstances in which clinical measures should be reported for specific age groups, it is noted it is a clinical decision as to the most appropriate measure to be used for a particular patient.
Scope links with other NMDSs and DSSs
Admitted patient care NMDS
Admitted patient mental health care NMDS
Community mental health care NMDS
Mental health establishments NMDS
Non-admitted patient DSS
Residential mental health care NMDS
Glossary items
Glossary terms that are relevant to this data set specification are included here: