Implementing routine outcome measures in child and adolescent mental health services: from present to future practice

Martin J Batty; Maria Moldavsky; Pooria Sarrami Foroushani; Sarah Pass; Michael Marriott; Kapil Sayal; Chris Hollis

doi:10.1111/j.1475-3588.2012.00658.x

Implementing routine outcome measures in child and adolescent mental health services: from present to future practice

Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2013 May;18(2):82-87. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2012.00658.x. Epub 2012 Mar 2.

Authors

Martin J Batty¹, Maria Moldavsky², Pooria Sarrami Foroushani^{1

3}, Sarah Pass⁴, Michael Marriott⁵, Kapil Sayal¹, Chris Hollis¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham, UK.
² Thorneywood Clinic, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, UK.
³ Australian Institute of Health Innovation, The University of New South Wales, Australia.
⁴ Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, UK.
⁵ Specialist Community CAMHS, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, UK.

PMID: 32847291
DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-3588.2012.00658.x

Abstract

Background: Routine outcome measurement (ROM) in CAMHS is supported by U.K. Government policy. However, little is known about how measures are used in practice.

Method: Data describing use of ROM, knowledge and attitudes regarding implementation were collected using a regional case-note audit, online survey and stakeholder workshop.

Results: While the principle of ROM was supported by stakeholders, baseline and follow-up outcome measurement occurred in less than a fifth of cases. Barriers to implementation included lack of training and resources, clinicians' perceptions of the limitations of existing measures and lack of regular feedback of outcome data.

Conclusions: Implementation of ROM may be facilitated by session-by-session measures with immediate feedback to clinicians and patients.

Keywords: Routine outcome measurement (ROM); child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS); implementation.