Out of Area Placements (NHS and Private Providers)

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has directed NHS Digital to establish a data collection to monitor the prevalence of Out of Area Placements (OAPs) across acute mental health inpatient care. 

The OAPs collection has been designed to record the details of any individual who has been referred for an out of area placement in England. An “out of area placement” is defined as happening when:

• a patient with assessed acute mental health needs who requires non-specialised inpatient care (Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissioned) is admitted to a unit that does not form part of the usual local network of services.

Submitted data will be used to monitor progress towards a government ambition to eliminate inappropriate OAPs for adults in acute inpatient care by 2020-21 (now extended until 31st March 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Data collected includes:

• administrative information
• information about the reasons for admission
• diagnostic information about adults who receive acute inpatient care in mental health services.

This Notice is served on:

• NHS-funded mental health care providers in England, providing local acute mental health services and having responsibility for sending any patient out of area.

This includes both NHS and independent sector providers.

The OAPs collection was launched in October 2016 as an interim collection until data can be obtained through the Mental Health Services Data Set.

Local processes will need to be agreed as to when data is entered into the system before each monthly submission deadline date. See the current submission timetable.

27 September 2022: Version 5.0 of this Notice has been issued to reflect an update to the directions providing for an extension until 31 March 2024.