The National Mental Health Performance Subcommittee (NMHPSC) was established by the National Mental Health Working Group to advise on the ongoing development of the national performance measurement framework for mental health services, to support benchmarking for mental health services improvement, and to provide national information on mental health system performance.

The NMHPSC also acts as the Steering Committee for the National Mental Health Benchmarking Project.

The NMHPSC membership consists of representatives from the jurisdictions, consumers, carers, Mental Health Outcomes Expert Groups, the forensic mental heatlh sector adn the Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network.

The following terms of reference have been identified for the NMHPSC (endorsed March 2006):

• Advise on the ongoing development of a national performance measurement framework for mental health services, primarily to support benchmarking for health services improvement and to provide national information on mental health system performance.
• Prepare appropriate technical documentation and other resource materials required to support the use of performance indicators within mental health services.
• Provide a point of authoritative advice to assist States and Territories in the implementation of agreed key performance indicators for mental health services.
• Receive and consider input to the national mental health performance measurement framework and on existing and potential performance indicators.
• Advise on requirements for the development of national publications and other reporting process to facilitate comparative analysis and information on the performance of mental health services.
• Advise on mental health performance indicators suitable for use within the national health performance measurement framework.
• Develop and maintain linkages with other relevant national committees.
• Report quarterly to the Information Strategy Committee (ISC) on progress in the implementation and further development of agreed national performance indicators within mental health services.
• Produce an annual work plan for endorsement by the Information Strategy Committee.
• Establish a National Mental Health Performance Subcommittee communication strategy.

For further information regarding the NMHPSC please contact the Secretariat.