Coherence is the degree to which data which have been derived from different sources or methods but refer to the same topic are similar. Comparability is the degree to which data can be compared over time and domain.
The number of providers of adult mental health or learning disability and autism services submitting is not consistent with the volume previously making a submission of MHLDDS monthly data. The total number of providers submitting data has increased from 110 providers submitting data in 2017-18 to 178 providers submitting data in 2018-19.
The MHSDS data also contains information about mental health services for children and young people. We are working closely with providers who have not yet submitted data and expect coverage and data quality to continue to increase for this area over the coming months.
Further information about interpreting the changes in the number of providers can be found in the Mental Health Bulletin 2018-19 Annual report found at:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-bulletin/2018-19-annual-report
Many of the measures in the monthly data file were previously part of the MHLDS Monthly Reports. There are notes in the metadata file about which measures previously published in MHLDS Monthly Reports can be compared to measures in the Monthly data file, although it may take more time for these measures to support direct like for like comparisons.
In relation to people in contact with Early Intervention teams there is some related information published at:
Early Intervention in Psychosis Waiting Times published by NHS England https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/eip-waiting-times/
- Number of people with first episode of psychosis who have accessed or are waiting for treatment
A comparison of the early intervention in psychosis waiting times statistics presented in this publication and those available from the NHS England Unify return is presented in the access and waiting times data tables within this publication.
This publication series does not currently include statistics for Out of Area Placements (OAPs) in acute adult mental health services. The Department of Health and Social Care directed NHS Digital to introduce an interim OAP collection prior to this information being available from version 2.0 of the MHSDS. Full details of this collection and links to the related publication series can be found at:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/out-of-area-placements-in-mental-health-services
Further information about this other source of information can be found in the Out of area placements (OAPs) sub-section earlier in this report.