title: Use of standardised outcome measures in adult mental health services: randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Routine use of standardised outcome measures is not universal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of standardised outcome assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial, involving 160 representative adult mental health patients and paired staff (ISRCTN16971059). The intervention group (n=101) (a) completed monthly postal questionnaires assessing needs, quality of life, mental health problem severity and therapeutic alliance, and (b) received 3-monthly feedback. The control group (n=59) received treatment as usual.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention did not improve primary outcomes of patient-rated unmet need and of quality of life. Other subjective secondary outcome measures were also not improved. The intervention reduced psychiatric inpatient days (3.5 v.16.4 mean days, bootstrapped 95% CI1.6-25.7), and hence service use costs were 2586 UK pounds (95% CI 102-5391) less for intervention-group patients. Net benefit analysis indicated that the intervention was cost-effective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine use of outcome measures as implemented in this study did not improve subjective outcomes, but was associated with reduced psychiatric inpatient admissions.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research Department (Box P029), Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK. m.slade@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCrone
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: Morven
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leese
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cahill
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parabiaghi
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Priebe
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thornicroft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards