Computerised information systems in English mental health care providers in 1998

Background: This study formed part of the background work for the developme nt work of a new Mental Health Minimum Data Set in England. It surveyed the range and nature of information systems currently used by English mental h ealth care provider Trusts. It also surveyed relevant aspects of their orga nisational arrangements. Method: Information was collected by a telephone s urvey of Trust information and clinical service managers. Results: Most Tru sts have a complex array of different information systems - the median numb er is four. Even where fully integrated systems are in place, these do not necessarily cover all data areas over the whole of the Trust's operations. Sixty-three percent of Trusts use more than one patient numbering system. S ixty-percent have implemented or formally piloted routine collection of out come scoring, 51% using the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS). A s imple model suggested that the proposed data set could realistically be imp lemented nationally over a 4-year timescale. Conclusions: Given the current information system context and planned developments it would be realistic to implement the proposed Mental Health Minimum Data Set over a 4-year time scale.