The CSIP northwest routine outcomes collaborative

The CSIP Northwest routine outcomes collaborative was launched in July 2006. The programme uses a proven collaborative method and is designed to ensure the use of outcome measures during the routine practice of mental health service delivery. The primary objective of the collaborative is to ensure that outcome measure data is collected, analysed, studied and used to inform service improvements where necessary.

The collaborative is focused on three parallel streams of outcomes:

• service/system outcomes
• clinical/care outcomes, and
• service user and carer-determined outcomes.

In tandem with ROC we have developed a 'relating outcomes to experience' group that consists of 15-20 service users and carers who work alongside the ROC teams to assist with and influence their work.

To date, approximately 30 mental health teams representing six organisations - four NHS, one voluntary sector, and one independent sector - have signed up to the initiative. Examples of services within the collaborative include early Intervention, assertive outreach, community mental health teams, low secure in-patient wards, rehabilitation and supported living services.

All ROC teams have received training in the use of 'plan, do, study, act' cycles to achieve the required changes within services. This simple service improvement technique enables teams to test ideas, inform incremental, sustainable changes and to track their progress through the programme.

Tailored training in the use of other service improvement techniques, for example process mapping, and in the use of established outcome measures, such as the positive and negative syndrome scale, is provided to all ROC participants.

All ROC teams receive regular site visits, assistance with the development and recording of PDSA cycles, data input, analysis and the production of reports. They also get support in the 'study' of these products to identify implications for service improvement.

We have organised a series of learning events on a quarterly basis as an integral component of the collaborative methodology. These are used to support the sharing of participant learning, good practice, explicit outcomes and team successes. ROC and 'relating outcomes to experience' members work and learn alongside each other throughout these days and participate in joint protected planning time.

Additional ROC resources, links to related national initiatives and good practice examples are disseminated at the learning events and are inserted into the ROC guidance resource folders held at each team base.

The theme for the third learning event is 'spread and sustainability' and the fourth learning event, 'celebrating successes' will be held on 11th June 2007.

For further information contact Ian Porter at Ian.Porter@northwest.csip.org.uk or Dean Repper at Dean.Repper@northwest.csip.org.uk.