The Mental Health Minimum Data Set was introduced by DSCN 20/99/P13 in April 2000 in response to the lack of national clinical data collection in the mental health arena, in line with the information requirements of the emerging National Service Framework for Mental Health.

Since April 2003 (DSCN 49/2002) it has been a mandatory requirement that all Providers of specialist adult, including elderly, mental health services submit central Mental Health Minimum Data Set returns on a quarterly basis, with an additional annual submission. Prior to April 2013 the frequency of the submission will change to a monthly basis.

The Mental Health Minimum Data Set facilitates the collection of person-focussed clinical data and the sharing of such data to underpin the delivery of mental health care. It is structured around the clinical process and includes an outcome assessment (Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (Working Age Adults), or HoNOS (Working Age Adults)). It records the key role played by partner agencies, particularly social services.

The Mental Health Minimum Data Set describes Adult Mental Health Care Spells. These comprise all interventions made for a PATIENT by a specialist Adult Mental Health Care Team from initial REFERRAL REQUEST to final discharge. For some individuals the Adult Mental Health Care Spell will comprise a short Consultant Out-Patient Episode; for others it may extend over many years and include hospital, community, out-patient and day care episodes.

Information is collected relating to various stages in the journey of the PATIENT, including activity such as Hospital Provider Spells, Consultant Out-Patient Episodes, community care, and NHS day care episodes; mental health reviews and assessments including Care Programme Approach (CPA) and Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (Working Age Adults) contacts with mental health professionals such as care co-ordinators, psychiatric NURSES and CONSULTANTS; and also any diagnosis and treatment.

The prime purpose of the Mental Health Minimum Data Set is to provide local clinicians and managers with better quality information for clinical audit, and service planning and management.

Central collection provides improved national information, facilitating feedback to Trusts, and the setting of benchmarks. It will also allow the delivery of the National Service Framework for Mental Health priorities to be monitored.

The Mental Health Minimum Data Set data is collected from NHS funded providers of specialist mental health services and submitted via the Bureau Services Portal provided by the Systems and Services Delivery (SSD) team. The Bureau Service processes submissions and produces local extracts for provider and commissioner ORGANISATIONS, and a national pseudonymised extract for the Health and Social Care Information Centre, for storage, analysis and reporting.

Please note that the collection of the Mental Health Minimum Data Set does not replace any other collection of mental health data such as the Admitted Patient Care Commissioning Data Set Type Detained and/or Long Term Psychiatric Census, which should continue to be collected.

For further information on the Mental Health Minimum Data Set, please view the Health and Social Care Information Centre website at: Mental Health Minimum Data Set.

Mental Health Minimum Data Set Version History

The full list of documentation related to this standard can be found on the Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care website at: Standard ISB 0011