Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) National Data Set 2026 – 27

PCH is looking for an individual (or partnership) with operational experience of Approved Mental Health Professional assessment to provide subject expertise on the technical and legislative elements of developing this national dataset. They will need to demonstrate credibility and knowledge in this area and use their expertise to support PCH and the steering group to shape the work. Core requirements for this contract include:

• A comprehensive understanding of Mental Health Act assessment, the full range of AMHP work, its functions and legal responsibilities.
• An understanding of how councils currently monitor and manage access to AMHP work based on operational experience and the key challenges for councils in this area.
• An understanding of key metrics that may be useful at a national level and the data items that would support these metrics.
• An understanding of how the Adult Social Care Client Level Dataset is structured and how a similar approach could be built into the draft national AMHP dataset
• A collaborative approach, being able to work with both the PCH team and wider stakeholders with integrity, openness and attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively through virtual channels and information systems to collate, communicate and share information as required.
• Skills in synthesising information, opinions, and facts to be able to present clear recommendations on which metrics would be most useful at a national level, compared with a local level.
• A comprehensive understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion principles when considering this area of work within adult social care. Familiarity with the NHS England patient and carer race equality framework (PCREF) and how AMHP dataset development can complement the PCREF dataset development.

The Working with People (WwP) team in Partners in Care and Health (PCH) will provide support and staff time to the project. The expert adviser will support PCH to build on previous AMHP dataset work, to further develop the draft national metrics, data items, definitions and lookup tables. A steering group will also be in place to provide oversight and steer the development and delivery of the project. The steering group will be the Data subgroup of the AMHP Partnership Group, which has been set up by the Office of the Chief Social Worker.

Key objectives

1. To build on work done in previous years to further develop the draft national AMHP dataset, with look-up tables, definitions and guidance.
2. To support the DHSC-led AMHP Partnership group to ensure that the draft national AMHP dataset meets the national requirements of the department and informs local council data recording and submission.
3. To test out with councils how much of the proposed data can be collected already, and how much would require more development at a local level.