Introducing the FORUM: A new outcome measure for forensic mental health services
22nd December 2023
Available to licence through Oxford University Innovation’s Clinical Outcomes team.
Forensic mental health services play a critical role in the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of individuals involved in the criminal justice system who are facing mental health challenges. The intersection of mental health and the legal system requires specialised care to address the unique needs individuals involved in legal proceedings, such as those deemed unfit to stand trial, individuals facing competency evaluations, and those navigating the complexities of forensic psychiatric treatment.
Developed in accordance with best practice development guidelines, the Forensic Outcome Measure (FORUM) contains two separate, but linked questionnaires: a Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM), and a Clinician Reported Outcome Measure (ClinRO).
The outcome framework consists of six overarching domains:
- ‘About me’, concerns questions of self-concept and encompassed ideas of meaning and belonging, as well as feelings of control and wellbeing;
- ‘My quality of life’ considers the interaction of a person with the outside world and the degree of satisfaction this affords that individual. Outcome areas in this domain span from simple items, such as whether a person’s basic needs are met, to more complex concepts, such as whether they feel respected and accepted by others;
- ‘My health’ then considers the individual’s physical and mental health, such as whether they are able to maintain a healthy weight or their mental and emotional health is good;
- ‘My safety and risk’ concerns both behavioural and internalised aspects of risk, such as avoiding behaviours and situations that reduce safety and recognising and coping with difficult feelings;
- ‘My life skills’ incorporates both current and future capabilities, from being able to look after every day needs, to being able to make realistic plans;
- ‘My progress’ attempts to quantify the person’s position within the care pathway, both considering where that individual is at that point in time, to thinking about where they need to move towards.
It is simple to complete within 1-2 minutes from both a patient & clinician perspective, which allows for a high response rate.
Licensing or Queries
The FORUM is free of charge for healthcare providers, publicly funded organisations and use within academic studies and is Licenced on behalf of Oxford University.
Anyone wishing to use the FORUM can submit a Licence application via our platform here. If you have any licensing queries or questions about using the FORUM, please contact us via email at healthoutcomes@innovation.ox.ac.uk.
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