Introducing the routine use of outcomes measurement to mental health services.

Significant progress has been made in preparing for the introduction of the routine use of outcome measurement instruments to mental health services. However, limited attention has been paid to the linked issues of the practical challenge of their implementation and their possible uses in clinical practice. This paper reports on a qualitative study examining the views of clinicians, service managers, consumers and carers on how to effectively introduce a suite of measures to a public mental health service and use ratings generated by them in clinical practice. These findings are combined with practical experience gained in introducing a suite of outcome measures in order to suggest future strategies for implementation.