Assessing the Content Validity of the Revised Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS 2018).

The Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS) comprises 12 scales that cover the kinds of problems that may be experienced by working-age adults in contact with specialised mental health services. Drawing on 20 years' experience in clinical practice, a collaborative, international review of the HoNOS was undertaken and a revised measure (known as the HoNOS 2018) was published. In this study, 32 experts from Australia, England and New Zealand completed an anonymous web-based survey to assess the relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility (aspects of content validity) of the HoNOS 2018.

Assessing the content validity of the revised Health of the Nation Outcome Scales 65+: the HoNOS Older Adults.

Aims And Method: Recently, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales 65+ (HoNOS65+) were revised. Twenty-five experts from Australia and New Zealand completed an anonymous web-based survey about the content validity of the revised measure, the HoNOS Older Adults (HoNOS OA).

Results: All 12 HoNOS OA scales were rated by most (≥75%) experts as 'important' or 'very important' for determining overall clinical severity among older adults.

Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Infants field trial: concurrent validity.

Background: A review of Australian mental health services identified a gap in routine outcome measures addressing social, emotional and behavioural domains for pre-schoolers and infants. A Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information Development Expert Advisory Panel working group developed the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Infants (HoNOSI), a clinician-reported routine outcome measure for infants 0-47 months. Prior face validity testing showed that the HoNOSI was considered useful in measuring mental health outcomes.

The interrater reliability of a routine outcome measure for infants and pre-schoolers aged under 48 months: Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Infants.

Background: A review of Australian mental health services identified a gap in routine outcome measures addressing social, emotional and behavioural domains for pre-schoolers and infants. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information Development Expert Advisory Panel Working Group developed the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Infants (HoNOSI), a clinician-reported routine outcome measure for use with those aged under 4 years. Prior psychometric testing showed that the HoNOSI was considered to show face validity, and that it met the standards for concurrent validity and internal consistency.

Achievements in mental health outcome measurement in Australia: Reflections on progress made by the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN).

Background: Australia's National Mental Health Strategy has emphasised the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of services, and has promoted the collection of outcomes and casemix data as a means of monitoring these. All public sector mental health services across Australia now routinely report outcomes and casemix data. Since late-2003, the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network (AMHOCN) has received, processed, analysed and reported on outcome data at a national level, and played a training and service development role.

Routine measurement of outcomes in Australia's public sector mental health services.

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the Australian experience to date with a national 'roll out' of routine outcome measurement in public sector mental health services. METHODS: Consultations were held with 123 stakeholders representing a range of roles. RESULTS: Australia has made an impressive start to nationally implementing routine outcome measurement in mental health services, although it still has a long way to go.