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Embracing performance measurement in mental health services

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2013

H. Carrick ,
R. Purcell  and
M. Byrne
H. Carrick
Affiliation:
Roscommon Service Area, Health Service Executive (HSE) West, Roscommon, Ireland
R. Purcell
Affiliation:
Roscommon Service Area, Health Service Executive (HSE) West, Roscommon, Ireland
M. Byrne*
Affiliation:
Roscommon Service Area, Health Service Executive (HSE) West, Roscommon, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: M. Byrne, Roscommon Service Area, Health Service Executive (HSE) West, Primary Care Centre, Golf Links Road, Roscommon, Ireland. (Email [email protected])
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Abstract

Objectives

Performance measurement (PM) is central to the current Irish health service policy. However, PM within the Irish mental health services has not been fully implemented. These services lack a national comprehensive suite of performance indicators (PIs). Those indicators that are measured do not tend to reflect the objectives of the managers and staff measuring them. To overcome these challenges, this article suggests a suite of measures and aims to provide a practical guide to PM for managers and staff.

Method

A narrative review of a range of policy documents and articles, relevant to PM in the Irish mental health services, was undertaken.

Findings

The search produced a number of themes illustrating the limitations of the current set of PIs for Irish mental health services, in particular the need for comprehensive PIs, including structure, process and outcome PIs. This informed the development of a suite of proposed PIs for mental health services. A number of additional themes highlighted the criticisms associated with the top-down approach used to implement PM. Drawing from these themes, a bottom-up approach to PM is proposed.

Conclusion

Although this review was selective in nature, it illustrates how the concerns of clinicians and service managers can be integrated with the priorities of the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health. This presented the suite of PIs and the practical guide that provide useful PM tools. While also applicable at a national level, this paper provides guidance for service managers as to the process of establishing and implementing a suite of PIs within their own service.

Keywords

Irish health servicemental healthperformance indicatorsperformance managementperformance measurement
Type
Review Article
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 209 - 219
Copyright
Copyright © College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2013 

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