Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool

The Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool  is a type of Clustering Tool  for adult PATIENTS  receiving care from Forensic Mental Health Services.

The Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool  is a needs assessment tool designed to rate the care needs of a PATIENT, based upon a series of 22 rating scales.

The first 12 of these rating scales are the same as the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (Working Age Adults) rating scales, originally developed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. These 12 rating scales are numbered 1 - 12 under 'Current Ratings' in the Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool.

Two additional 'current' ratings and a section relating to 'Historical Ratings' are also included, to form the Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool. These items are referred to as the Summary of Assessments of Risk and Need (SARN) items.

Part 1: Current Ratings

These ratings relate to the most severe occurrence in the two weeks prior to the Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool ASSESSMENT TOOL COMPLETION DATE.

1. Overactive, aggressive, disruptive or agitated behaviour (current) 2. Non-accidental self injury (current) 3. Problem drinking or drug taking (current) 4. Cognitive problems (current) 5. Physical illness or disability problems (current) 6. Problems associated with hallucinations and delusions (current) 7. Problems with depressed mood (current) 8. Other mental and behavioural problems (current), qualified by specific disorders: and the alphabetical list of headings from the glossary:

A Phobic B Anxiety C Obsessive-compulsive D Stress E Dissociative F Somatoform G Eating H Sleep I Sexual J Other

9. Problems with relationships (current) 10. Problems with activities of daily living (current) 11. Problems with living conditions (current) 12. Problems with occupation and activities (current) 13. Strong unreasonable beliefs that are not psychotic in origin (current) 40. Need for physical security to provide safe treatment for the PATIENT (current)

Part 2: Historical Ratings

These ratings relate to problems that occur in an episodic or unpredictable way, from a more 'historical' perspective. Whilst there may not be any direct observation or report of a manifestation during the two weeks prior to the Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool ASSESSMENT TOOL COMPLETION DATE, the evidence and clinical judgement would suggest that there is still a cause for concern that cannot be disregarded. In these circumstances, any event that remains relevant to the current CARE PLAN should be included.

A. Agitated behaviour / expansive mood (historical) B. Repeat self-harm (historical) C. Safeguarding other children and vulnerable adults (historical) D. Engagement (historical) E. Vulnerability (historical) P. Interpersonal Dynamics (historical) Q. Problem-drinking or drug-taking (historical) R. Antisocial attitudes likely to result in behaviour that causes a risk to others (historical).

The allowed responses to each of the 22 items in the Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool are:

0 - No problem 1 - Minor problem requiring no action 2 - Mild problem but definitely present 3 - Moderately severe problem 4 - Severe to very severe problem 9 - Not known

The PERSON SCORE from the Forensic Mental Health Clustering Tool is used to allocate the PATIENT to the most appropriate Forensic Mental Health Care Cluster.