What is the NMHSPF?
The National Mental Health Service Planning Framework (NMHSPF) provides a comprehensive model of the mental health care requirements to meet Australia’s population needs. The NMHSPF is an evidence-based framework designed to support coordinated planning across Australia’s mental health system.
The NMHSPF model brings together the best available evidence and expert opinion on:
- the prevalence of mental illness and need for mental health services
- the types and levels of mental health care required for different need groups
- efficient standards of health service operation to deliver this care.
The NMHSPF model outlines how many people need mental health care, the types of services needed, and the volume of specific services required by different groups of people. This is combined with information on service staffing (workforce and funder type) and operations to produce resource targets such as the number of hospital beds required. Each of these components are explained in more detail on the National Mental Health Service Planning Framework site.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) developed, hosts and maintains the associated NMHSPF-Planning Support Tool (NMHSPF-PST), an interactive data tool that allows local service planners to estimate need and expected demand for mental health care in their area (AIHW 2023).
Watch the video below for an overview of the NMHSPF model, including what it is and how it works (AIHW 2023).
