Developing reliability in client-centred mental health needs assessment

Abstract

This paper provides a method for conceptualising and assessing the expressed needs of people with a long-term mental illness. Client-key informant agreement and test-retest reliability are reported for the Bangor Assessment of Need Profile (BANP). The results suggest poor client-key worker agreement and fair to very good test-retest reliability. The paper discusses the meaning and objective of indices of agreement in relation to the presence or absence of need. It is concluded that a clearer understanding of what the mental health service user has to say concerning their own needs is required in relation to individual client mental state and quality of life outcome measures.