Coverage/Scope:

State/territory public acute admitted patient mental health service units in-scope for reporting in accordance with the Mental health seclusion and restraint National best endeavours data set (NBEDS).

Methodology:

Reference period for 2021 performance reporting: 2020–21

• Restraint data are compiled by state/territory data providers according to the specifications of the Mental health seclusion and restraint (SECREST) NBEDS. As such, data are subject to the concepts and definitions developed for the data set.
• For the purpose of this indicator, only mechanical and physical restraint events are included in the computation. Unspecified restraint events are not included.

(Numerator ÷ Denominator) x 1,000

Total number of mechanical restraint events occurring within the reference period.

Total number of physical restraint events occurring within the reference period.

Total number of accrued mental health care days within the reference period.

Service variables: target population, remoteness.

Consumer attributes: nil.

N[NN].N

State/territory level

Collection of restraint data at the national level occurs via the SECREST NBEDS, a data collection under the governance of the Safety and Quality Partnership Standing Committee (SQPSC), a subcommittee, of the Mental Health Principal Committee.

Data on the characteristics of the consumers subject to restraint is not currently available. Data development activity to expand the SECREST NBEDS to include consumer demographic information is under consideration by the Mental Health Information Strategy Standing Committee and SQPSC.

• The use of restraint is governed by either legislation (a Mental Health Act or equivalent) or mandatory policy within each state and territory. The definitions used within the legislation and policies vary slightly between jurisdictions. These variations should be recognised in the interpretation of the indicator.
• The type of restraint used, physical or mechanical, informs the understanding of an organisation’s management and use of restraint. However, the capacity to collect information regarding restraint types varies across jurisdictions.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on behalf of the National Mental Health Performance Subcommittee

National Mental Health Performance Subcommittee (NMHPSC) 2013. Key Performance Indicators for Australian Public Mental Health Services, 3rd edn. Canberra: NMHPSC.

National Mental Health Working Group (NMHWG) 2005. National safety priorities in mental health: a national plan for reducing harm, Health Priorities and Suicide Prevention Branch, Department of Health and Ageing, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.