A caseload management tool for community mental health teams

Abstract

A caseload management tool was developed with the aim of creating a straightforward, unbiased way of assessing a clinician's caseload for the community mental health teams (CMHTs) in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. For the first time, the tool developed allows for individual clinicians to record caseloads electronically, enabling decision makers and their teams to assess caseloads. The newly developed tool also has the capability to assess a client's individual weighting score over time. This is crucial in ensuring an appropriate clinical response, improving client experience and safety. Developments were made to an existing tool widely used in the literature, resulting in a scoring system which now allows for a more accurate weighting score for clients. Pilot phases of the tool with the adult and older adult CMHTs showed that it is both easy to use and informs the caseload management discussion. Future work involves rolling the tool out to the whole of the health board and teams in the mental health division.