A practice-based project to evaluate the Huddersfield Application for Mental Health Assessment (HAMHA) when assessing the mental health needs and risks for children and young people (CYP)

A UK-wide project, funded by the RCN Foundation and led by the University of Huddersfield in collaboration with healthcare organisations across the UK was completed in December 2022 to support non-mental health staff assess and manage (CYP). Non-Mental-Health Nurses (Non- MHNs), Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), academics and stakeholders were consulted on development of the assessment app, which was conceptualized as a decision support tool for NMHNs and AHPs for defensible decision making. The app known as the HAMHA: Huddersfield App for Mental Health Assessment was constructed and positively evaluated over a 12-month period. After recent review and a successful practice-based validation in one NHS team, we now want to host and share the Beta 2.1 version of the app more widely to gather data to improve quality and functionality of HAMHA ahead of possible commercialisation. Those we share with will use in practice and provide feedback on quality, acceptability, functionality, reliability, and practicality over a 12-month period. This data will then be analysed and the HAMHA will be revised in response to feedback, and this will provide further proof of concept.