Mental health services in Australia

Web report
Last updated: 22 Mar 2019
Author: AIHW
Media release

Mental health services in Australia (MHSA) provides a picture of the national response of the health and welfare service system to the mental health care needs of Australians. MHSA is updated progressively throughout each year as data becomes available.

Mental health services in Australia has been published as a web report since 2011. A companion hardcopy publication Mental health services - In brief is produced annually. This report provides an overview of key statistics and related information found in the web pages.

Email notifications of all updates can be provided. For more information visit the subscribe to release notices page.

Findings from this report:

$9.1 billion was spent on mental health in
2016–17
4.0 million people received mental health-related prescriptions in 2016-17

Mental health indicator library

A number of different mental health indicator sets have been developed over time to measure the performance of the mental health system. Performance indicators are generally developed for a specific purpose, for example, measuring changes after commitment to a national strategy. The indicator sets can be viewed in terms of what aspects of health performance they measure using the National Mental Health Performance Framework which includes broad domains spanning areas such as safety and accessibility.

The following lists the indicator sets included in the Indicator library; including the short name of the indicator set with a link to the technical detail (specifications), the author, the reference periods for the indicator set and a link to the most recent data (if available):

MHS KPIs 3rd Edition: Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Principal Committee; ongoing publication; 2017 data
Indicator framework: Productivity Commission (RoGS); ongoing publication; 2017 data
NHA: Council of Australian Governments Inter-governmental Agreement(†); ongoing publication; 2017 data
NMHC Review: National Mental Health Commission; 2015; data not published
4NMHP: Council of Australian Governments; 2009–14; NMHR 2013
ERG: Council of Australian Governments Working Group of Mental Health Reform; 2013; data not published
COAG AP; Council of Australian Governments Health Council; 2006–2011; Final progress report

Overall health and the impact on life: Tier 1 indicators

Health condition Expand

Prevalence of mental illness or mental health-related issues.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Prevalence of mental illness*	–	✔	–	–	✔	✔	✔
Prevalence of mental illness among prisoners	–	–	–	–	✔	–	✔
Prevalence of developmentally vulnerable children	–	–	–	✔	–	✔	–

Health functioning Expand

Alterations to body, structure or function (impairment), activities (activity limitation) and participation (restrictions in participation) due to mental illness.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Life expectancy and wellbeing Expand

Broad measures of the impact of mental illness on physical, mental, and social wellbeing of individuals and other indicators such as Disability Adjusted Life Expectancy (DALE).

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Life expectancy of people with severe mental illness	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–
Adults with a very high level of psychological distress	–	–	✔	–	–	–	–
People with satisfactory levels of social and emotional wellbeing	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–
Screening for physical and dental health issues	–	–	–	✔	–	✔	–
Physical health of people with mental illness	–	✔	–	–	–	–	–
Attempted suicide rates	–	–	–	✔	–	–	–

Death Expand

Deaths due to mental illness.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Suicide	–	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	✔

Close all

Environmental factors Expand

Physical, chemical and biological factors such as air, water, food and soil quality resulting from chemical pollution and waste disposal.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Socio-economic factors Expand

Socio-economic factors such as education, employment, per capita expenditure on health, and average weekly earnings.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Participation in education, training or employment*; consumers and/or carers	–	–	–	✔	✔	✔	✔

Community capacity Expand

Characteristics of communities and families such as population density, age distribution, health literacy, housing, community support services and transport.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Community stigma about mental illness*	–	–	–	–	✔	✔	–
Community understanding of mental health problems	–	–	–	–	✔	✔	–
Housing conditions*	–	–	–	✔	✔	✔	–
Primary and secondary schools with mental health literacy component included in curriculum	–	–	–	–	✔	–	–
Front-line workers (e.g. police, ambulance) who have mental health education and training	–	–	–	–	✔	–	–
Community participation by people with mental illness	–	–	–	–	✔	–	–
Connectedness and meaning in life	–	✔	–	–	–	–	–

Health behaviours Expand

Attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and behaviours (e.g. patterns of eating, physical activity, excess alcohol consumption and smoking).

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Smoking	–	–	–	✔	–	✔	–
Drugs- alcohol and illegal drugs*	–	–	–	–	✔	–	✔

Physical health Expand

Genetics-related susceptibility to disease and other factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and body weight.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Close all

Effective Expand

Care, intervention or action achieves desired outcome.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Consumer outcomes
Change in consumer mental health	✔	✔	–	–	✔	–	✔
Sub-domain: Carer outcomes
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Community tenure
Readmission to hospital	✔	✔	–	–	✔	–	✔

Appropriate Expand

The care, intervention or action provided is relevant to the consumer’s and/or carer’s needs and based on established standards.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Compliance with standards
Services meeting the national mental health service standards	✔	✔	–	–	✔	–	–
Sub-domain: Relevant to consumer and carer needs
Employment of Consumers and Carers, including designated peer roles*	–	✔	–	–	✔	✔	–
Emergency Department presentations for attempted suicide with a recovery discharge plan	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–

Efficient Expand

Effective use of resources.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Inpatient care
Length of acute inpatient stay	✔	–	–	–	–	–	–
Cost per acute inpatient day	✔	✔	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Community care
Treatment days per three-month community care and support period	✔	–	–	–	–	–	–
Cost per community treatment day	✔	✔	–	–	–	–	–
No assigned sub-domain
Cost per residential care day	–	✔	–	–	–	–	–
Public reporting of performance data	–	–	–	–	✔	–	–

Accessible Expand

Ability of people to obtain health care at the right place and right time irrespective of income, geography and cultural background.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Access for those in need
People receiving mental health care and support*	✔	✔	✔	–	✔	–	✔
Timely access to mental health services	–	–	–	✔	–	✔	–
Mental health care and support programs for children and young people	–	✔	–	–	✔	–	–
New client index	✔	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Local access
Comparative area resources	✔ Data not available	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Emergency response
Wait times for consumers with mental health problems presenting to emergency departments	–	–	–	–	✔	–	–

Continuous Expand

Ability to provide uninterrupted, coordinated care and support across programs, practitioners, organisations and levels over time.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Continuity between providers
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Cross-setting continuity
Community care and support prior to a hospital stay	✔	–	–	–	✔	–	–
Community care and support after a hospital stay	✔	✔	✔	–	✔	–	✔
Consumers with nominated GP	–	✔	–	–	✔	–	–
Consumers leaving prisons with a recovery plan	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–
Sub-domain: Continuity over time
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Responsive Expand

Service provides respect for persons and is consumer and carer orientated.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Consumer and carer experience of care
Consumers and carers with positive experiences of service delivery	–	✔	–	✔	✔	✔	–
Sub-domain: Consumer and carer participation
Consumer participation in outcome measures	✔ Data not available	–	–	–	–	–	–
Recovery-focussed plans developed with consumers and carers	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–

Capable Expand

An individual or service’s capacity to provide a health service based on skills and knowledge.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Provider knowledge and skill
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Outcomes orientation
Outcome readiness	✔	–	–	–	–	–	–

Safe Expand

Potential risks of an intervention or the environment are identified and avoided or minimised.

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Consumer safety
Involuntary Treatment Orders	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–
Use of seclusion	✔	✔	–	–	–	✔	–
Use of restraint	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–
Safety incidents involving severe harm or death	–	–	–	–	–	✔	–
Sub-domain: Carer safety
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Provider safety
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Community safety
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Sustainable Expand

Indicator set	MHS KPIs 3rd Edition	Indicator Framework	NHA	NMHC Review	4NMHP	ERG	COAG AP
Sub-domain: Workforce planning
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Training investment
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Sub-domain: Research investment
Nil	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Close all

MHS PI 16: Aspects of recovery for children and adolescents according to parents/carers

† Since 2013, this indicator has been reported by the Productivity Commission.

* Indicates where several indicators with different technical definitions, including a range of sub-groups (e.g. by Indigenous status, child and adolescents) have been grouped into a single indicator title.

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