Coverage/Scope:

State/territory public admitted patient mental health service units. Only public hospitals are in scope for this indicator.

Methodology:

• Reference period for 2021 performance reporting: 2019–20.
• Patient days are for all separations that ended within the reference period.
• Mental health legal status is defined for this indicator as: ‘Whether a person is treated on an involuntary basis under the relevant state or territory mental health legislation’.
• Involuntary patients are persons who are compulsorily treated in hospital or in the community under relevant state and territory legislation for the purpose of assessment or provision of appropriate treatment or care. All types of treatment orders are in scope for this indicator, regardless of the setting of the treatment order. For example, admitted patients who are under a community treatment order are in scope for the numerator of this indicator.

Presented as a:

• percentage
• number.

Number

(Numerator ÷ Denominator) x 100

Number of separations in public hospitals occurring within the reference period with specialised mental health care days that are involuntary.

Total number of separations with specialised mental health care days in public hospitals occurring within the reference period

Service variables: acute/non-acute units, and target population.

Consumer attributes: age, sex, and Indigenous status.

Disaggregated data excludes missing or not reported data.

Most recent data available for reporting: 2019–20. This indicator refers to the inpatient setting only.

N[NN.NN]

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

The use of involuntary treatment 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 between jurisdictions including, but not limited to, forensic-related legislation that applies to admitted patient mental health services. These variations should be recognised in the interpretation of the indicator.