Mental Health Spotlight Audit

About

The NACEL Mental Health Spotlight Audit will run alongside the audit of acute and community hospital providers in 2025.

The Spotlight Audit will review the quality and outcomes of care experienced by the dying person (18+) and those important to them during the last admission to a mental health inpatient facility in England, Wales and Jersey.  

Data collected by the audit will build on the learning from the 2021 spotlight audit. Supporting a national picture of care delivered at the end of life, and support healthcare providers and policy makers identify areas for improvement. NACEL is featured on NHS England’s Quality Accounts list for 2024/25.    

Data collection

An overview of the NACEL 2025 Mental Health Spotlight Audit Timescales can be found here. There will be four data collection elements of the audit:

1.      Trust/Health Board Overview: Specific questions pertaining to the Trust/Health Board (3-month collection).

2.      Case Note Review: A review of deaths over a specified period will be conducted (collection throughout the year).

3.      Staff Reported Measure: Staff members who are most likely to interact with dying patients and their loved ones will participate in an online survey to provide their insights (collection throughout the year).

4. Annual death data collection: To understand the number of deaths occurring in mental health inpatient facilities during the year.