Pod is an online tool developed by Anna Freud, that helps settings and services enhance mental health support using outcome and feedback measurement data. It can be used in a variety of contexts such as NHS trusts, local authorities, charities, research projects and workforce development programmes.
Pod is entirely web-based, with no need to download software. It is compatible with all devices including mobile phones, tablets and laptops and can be used to answer questionnaires online both in and out of clinical sessions. Pod is accredited for secure data storage in line with international standards and is compliant with the NHS Clinical Safety Standard (DCB0129) as a Healthcare IT System.
Data is collected at an individual case level; each case will have a main service user (for example the child or young person), and additional stakeholders can be linked to that case (for example parents, carers or siblings). Their completions and results are tracked individually to show areas of difficulty and progress over time. Service users and their additional stakeholders can all receive their own usernames and password, to be able to login to Pod remotely and complete their own measures that have been assigned to them.
Results are instantly sent to the practitioner so they can be discussed straight away, or in their next session. Pod saves time and prevents mistakes in manual data entry, automatically collating each service user’s feedback data and producing easy to understand graphs and visualisations.
Data within Pod can be exported to facilitate local reporting, and is compatible with the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS).
Find out more here:
CORC support for Pod users
As Anna Freud projects, CORC and Pod compliment one another and CORC are ideally placed to support services with the implementation of outcome measures. Becoming a CORC member is the ideal way to benefit from our expertise. Find out more here.
CORC Training
Many of our CORC trainings are useful to those using Pod. We particularly recommend these for Pod users:
Scheduled webinars
- Introduction to outcome measures
- Choosing and using outcome measures for an intervention or service
- Improving your practice using outcome measures
Recorded trainings available here
Maximising the effectiveness within your organisation
See how others are embedding data collection and view these case studies:
- Case study: Recognising best practice: badges of recognition for Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust’s (CWPT) children and young people’s mental health services - Rise
- Case study: Understanding the impact of support provided by an eating disorder service: SWEDA case study
Data analysis and reporting
Get the most from the data you are collecting by working with CORC .
Find out more hereCORC training schedule
- Introduction to outcome measures
- Choosing and using outcome measures for an intervention or service
- Improving your practice using outcome measures
Information and contact details to consider using Pod for your service.
Find out more here