NOCC Strategic Directions 2014 - 2024

Background to the NOCC Strategic Directions Project

The Mental Health Information Strategy Standing Committee (MHISSC) endorsed the undertaking of a review of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection (NOCC) to be completed in the period of the 4th National Mental Health Plan (2009-14). The NOCC includes the following measures: the Health of the Nation Outcomes Scales (HoNOS/ HoNOS65+/ HoNOSCA), the Life Skills Profile (LSP-16), Resources Utilsation Group – Activities of Daily Living (RUG-ADL), Focus of Care (FoC), Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38), Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32), Kessler 10 (K-10+), Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), Factors Influencing Health Status (FIHS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

The aim of this review, known as NOCC Strategic Directions 2014–2024 was to:

• assess the progress to date on implementing NOCC, including both benefits and costs and looking for factors which have either helped or hindered implementation.
• develop recommendations for further development of the NOCC through to 2024, including possible changes to the suite of measures used or the protocols governing their use.

NOCC Strategic Directions 2014–2024 comprised two key elements: a stocktake and a review. The stocktake highlighted accomplishments and achievements to date. The review focused on the NOCC measures (i.e. the individual tools selected for use) and NOCC protocols (i.e. the rules governing which measures are used for which persons in which settings and at which points in care). This work identified the strategic direction for NOCC over a 10 year period from 2014-2024.

This stocktake and review occurred at the same time as a number of other projects that may be of relevance to NOCC. These included the development of a range of standard measures of important aspects of service reform in Australia, like a consumer experience of care measure, a measure of the social inclusion aspects of personal recovery and a carer experience of care, as well as the development of a national minimum data set for the community managed organisation sector.

The focus of the stocktake and review was on public sector mental health services. While, information developments in the private and community managed organisation sector were out of scope for this project, an understanding of potential developments in these areas and their impact on the NOCC were considered.

During 2012, AMHOCN also undertook consultations within all states and territories and included mental health consumers and carers, staff of public sector mental health services, state and territory departments of health, mental health commissions, and national mental health information panels. In addition to face to face consultations, AMHOCN also conducted online surveys for consumers, carers and clinicians. These consultations and surveys informed the development of the recommendations contained within the final report.

Final Project Report

Read or download the Final Report of the NOCC Strategic Directions 2014-2024 project. Work has begun to implement recommendations, through a staged process, as determined by national committees and organisations.

Further Information

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Rosemary Dickson, AMHOCN Network Coordinator, by email.