NHS - "Mental Health Clustering Tool"

"StyleTech played a significant part in CPPP delivering validated clusters within a very challenging timeframe.

Their approach was flexible and professional throughout the software development process.

They were able to understand and integrate a number of complex clinical themes and issues into prototype software which they were then happy to refine as the project progressed.

Their attentiveness and high standards meant their involvement was seen as an asset rather than a drain on the consortium's limited resources.

I would have no hesitation in using their services in the future, or recommending them to others." CPPP Programme Director

StyleTech have developed a MHCT data entry and reporting solution that has been proven within the CPPP Yorkshire trial region. For more information on the StyleTech MHCT data entry and reporting solution please click here.

Client

NHS Mental Health and Care Pathways and Packages Project (CPPP).

Development

Mental Health Clustering Tool Software and Decision Support Applications.

Background

Under the Mental Health payment by results system (PbR) individual NHS Trusts need to demonstrate their effectiveness in assessing, responding to and reviewing each individual patient's clinical mental health needs.

This requirement involves drawing together many disparate assessment procedures and measurement methods into one unified nationally applied platform for assessment, data collection, evaluation and action.

One that not only collects and records data, but also analyses the data and provides clinicians with feedback which is vital to maintain consistency and accuracy of cluster allocation and therefore, accurate costing of interventions.

One of the major initiatives driving the development of MHCT is The Care Pathways and Packages Project (CPPP). CPPP incorporates development work by a consortium of organisations in the Yorkshire & Humber and North East Strategic Health Authorities who, together with the Department of Health and other sites collaborated to create the MHCT.

Project Requirements

The specific focus of the CPPP team is a tool that not only provides a workable mental health currency under PbR, but one that is also clinically meaningful.

The Solution

StyleTech were identified as the preferred supplier for this leading-edge development having demonstrated expertise and professionalism through the first iteration of its software, used to capture previous assessment tool scores. The value added service provided by StyleTech was a valuable input to the project outcome.

Working strictly to the MHCT guidelines, StyleTech worked on creating a software system that would enable the new Mental Health Clustering Tool requirements and algorithm to be integrated into any existing Mental Health NHS Trust secure IT infrastructure, to enable the efficient collection of patient and assessment data in a secure manner.

A key consideration throughout the development process was to ensure the final software system could be reliably and efficiently adapted to meet the varied needs of each Mental Health NHS Trust IT environment. The StyleTech software incorporates the foundations for bespoke development utilising the expertise of the StyleTech team, ensuring the ability to provide seamless integration into a wide variety of secure and existing IT environments.

In this way, the StyleTech software solution addresses the requirements of the Mental Health Clustering Tool, however whilst working in close collaboration with CPPP, the team identified other areas where the software could enhance the characteristics of MHCT to provide a variety of unique characteristics in comparison to existing methods.

One of the unique characteristics provides the opportunity to reduce the lengthy and complicated training requirements normally associated with comprehensive mental health care software. The software solution encourages a ‘train-the-trainer' approach to the training of clinicians and case-load managers in electronic patient record keeping. This benefit is due to the simplicity in design accompanied by the valuable clinician input throughout the development process, ensuring built-in system intelligence guides the clinician at every possible opportunity. Taking the learning path of a clinician from A to B quickly and efficiently is a value-added benefit.

The Mental Health Clustering Tool also incorporates a beneficial audit trail function. This ensures that every step taken through the software solution is captured and maintained within the system. This approach to capturing and storing data provides the ability to refer back to valuable data, enabling traceability on every patient case and every step of the care process.

Further unique characteristics of the software are in addition to the national requirements of the Mental Health Clustering Tool. Each individual area is identified as a value added tool. The tools encourage enhanced efficiencies, enabling clinician's access to proven, reliable technology, developed to assist them with their demanding daily assessment responsibilities.

These additions are: -

• Suggestions of Care Clusters, assisting clinicians with intelligent cluster allocation recommendations, based on algorithms developed by CPPP
• Comparison of current level of need to agreed Step Up / Discharge / Step Down criteria, enabling a patient's record to be adjusted accordingly dependent on assessment outcomes with intelligent pathway allocation
• Intelligent identification and flagging of vulnerabilities

The Outcome

The software has been developed to not only offer seamless integration but to embrace new technologies and algorithms allowing each Mental Health NHS Trust to concentrate on what they do best.

StyleTech and CPPP have developed the software to assist with the comprehensive assessment and decision-making process, the software offers efficient collation of data into the required national reporting format.

StyleTech has the ability to carry out bespoke development to the software, resulting in seamless integration with existing patient administration systems.

The StyleTech software enhances the efficiency and accuracy of data collected by Mental Health Teams.

Mental Health Payment by Results will bring significant benefits, helping tackle the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention (QIPP) challenges in Mental Healthcare. Accurate classification of patients is a fundamental part of this process.

Further Information

Mental Health Clustering Tool Software Solution Website
MHCT Data Entry and Reporting Solution Overview
Business Applications