Mental health quality indicator profile

About this release

This quarterly release by Public Health Scotland (PHS), presents information on mental health quality indicators in support of the Mental health and wellbeing strategy 2023 and Core Mental Health Standards. Originally developed as a standard publication (previous versions available here), the dashboard has been developed to provide enhanced visualisation, sub-national data analysis (where available), and improved interaction for users. The Mental Health Quality Indicators (MHQI) publication was created to provide an overview of Mental Health Services across Scotland, by combining previously published and new information into a single profile, supporting Action 38 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027. The dashboard will be regularly updated when data is available, further indicators have been developed, and when new indicators are identified which fall under its remit.

Plans for development can be found on the front page of the main dashboard for the publication.

Main points

In the year ending 30 June 2025:

• The rate of emergency bed days for adults in psychiatric hospital beds following emergency admission in Scotland was 18,900 per 100,000 population, compared to 17,049 per 100,000 population for the year ending 30 June 2024.
• The percentage of mental health emergency readmissions within 28 days in Scotland was 6.5%. This compares with 7.4% for the year ending 30 June 2024 and 7.5% for the year ending 30 June 2023.
• The percentage of psychiatric admissions for patients under 18 years old that were admitted outwith NHS specialist CAMH wards was 34.0%. This compares with 28.2% during the year ending 30 June 2024 and 31.9% during the year ending 30 June 2023.

Background

This MHQI release is the latest update of the new dashboard format and provides updated data for ten indicators.

At sub-national level, there are quarterly updates for three indicators:

• "% of all discharged psychiatric inpatients followed up by community mental health services within 7 calendar days".
• "Incidents of physical violence per 1,000 occupied psychiatric bed days".
• "% of 'did not attend appointments' for community-based services of people with mental health conditions".

At national level, there are seven indicators with annual updates:

• "% of people who commence psychological therapy-based treatment within 18 weeks of referral".
• "% of young people who commence treatment by specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services within 18 weeks of referral".
• "Suicide rates per 100,000 population".
• "Rate of emergency bed days for adults in psychiatric hospital beds".
• "% of mental health emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge".
• "Total psychiatric inpatient beds per 100,000 population (NRAC adjusted)".
• "% of under 18-year-old psychiatric admissions admitted out with NHS specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) wards".

The dashboard will continue to be developed with enhanced visualisation and updated data released on a quarterly basis. We welcome feedback from users about these developments.

Further information

The next release of this publication will 27 January 2025.