3. PMHC MDS Data Specifications

The PMHC MDS Data Specification documentation sites define what data items are collected in each of the PMHC MDS specifications, what file formats are accepted for upload and associated reporting requirements.

3.1. Current Versions

3.1.1. PMHC MDS Base Data Specification

Version	Release date	End of life date
Version 5.0	18 December 2025	N/A
Version 4.1	1 November 2024	30 June 2026

3.1.2. PMHC MDS Extension Data Specifications

The PMHC MDS has been extended to allow data collection for specific programs. These specifications are only to be used if your organisation is providing services under the program.

Extension	Version	Release date	End of life date
headspace	Version 4.1	6 May 2025	N/A
The Way Back Support Service	Version 3	17 August 2020	30 June 2026

3.1.3. PMHC MDS Survey Data Specification

The PMHC MDS has been extended to allow the YES PHN survey to be collected and stored in the PMHC MDS via OMSSS or collected separately and uploaded to the PMHC MDS.

This data specification is to be used to upload YES PHN Survey results to and extract YES PHN Survey results from the PMHC MDS.

Version	Release date
Version 1	21 March 2024

3.1.4. YES PHN Invitation Data Specification

The YES PHN survey can be collected via OMSSS.

This data specification is to be used to send invitations to complete a YES PHN survey via OMSSS to clients who have completed an episode of care in the PMHC MDS within a specified time period.

Version	Release date
Version 1	1 November 2021

3.2. Meta Download format

The Data Extract tab includes a checkbox to include data from all specifications. This downloads a file that is a combination of all the extensions listed above. The resulting file cannot be uploaded. This is a download only format. It is based on the most recent version used by either the core specification or an extension.

3.3. Unsupported versions

Version	End of life date	Notes
Version 4.0	5 May 2025	As of 1 November 2024, the PMHC MDS accepted uploads in both the version 4.0 format and the version 4.1 format. The version 4.1 format was marked for end-of-life on 5 May 2025. After this date version 4.0 uploads wwere no longer accepted.
Version 2	31 January 2023	As of 1 August 2022, the PMHC MDS accepted uploads in both the version 4 format and the version 2 format. The version 2 format was marked for end-of-life on 5 February 2023. After this date version 2 uploads were no longer accepted.
Version 1	30 June 2020	As of 1 July 2019, the PMHC MDS accepted uploads in both the version 2 format and the version 1 format. (read more…) The version 1 format was marked for end-of-life on 30 June 2020. After this date version 1 uploads were no longer accepted.

3.3.1. Unsupported PMHC MDS Extension Data Specifications

Extension \| Version		End of life date
headspace	Version 4	5 May 2025
headspace	Version 2	24 October 2024
HeadtoHelp	Version 3	31 January 2023
National Suicide Prevention Trial (NSPT)	Version 2	30 October 2020

3.4. Download Specification files

Software developers designing extracts for the PMHC MDS can use the following files to help automate their tools when new versions of PMHC MDS specifications are released.

These files conform to the CSV on the Web (CSVW) standard that is defined at https://csvw.org/.

They are used:

to generate the Record formats and Definitions sections of the data specification documentation
in the first pass of upload validations

3.4.1. Current versions

3.4.2. Unsupported versions

3.5. Supplementary Data Documentation

3.5.1. System Tags

Tags beginning with an exclamation mark (!) are reserved for future use by DoHAC across the whole PMHC MDS. System tags can be used in both upload and data entry. They are normally used for two purposes:

Extension tags - The primary purpose of these tags is to enable a PMHC MDS data specification extension e.g. The Wayback (!wayback)
Reserved tags - The primary purpose of these tags is to tag data for specific purposes e.g. Indicating that an episode occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (!covid19)

Tags field definitions for each record type are available in Record formats.

3.5.1.1. Current System Tags

The following tags can currently be used in PMHC MDS uploads and data entry:

Tag	Name	Type	Further Information	Release date	End of life date
`!br20`	Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire	Reserved	Departmental Circular	24 January 2020
`!covid19`	Episode occurred as result of COVID-19 pandemic	Reserved	Departmental Circular
`!wayback`	Beyond Blue The Way Back	Extension	The Way Back Version 3 Data Specification	17 August 2020	30 June 2026
`!uaooh`	Universal Aftercare Out of Hospital	Reserved	Departmental Circular	18 December 2025
`!rhcpsychology`	Rural Health Connect - psychology	Reserved	Departmental Circular	4 May 2026
`!rhcpsychiatry`	Rural Health Connect - psychiatry	Reserved	Departmental Circular	4 May 2026

3.5.1.2. Historical System Tags

The following tags have previously been available to be used in PMHC MDS uploads and data entry. They still remain on existing data but must not be used for new data uploaded after their retirement date. The following information is provided for historical reference only.

Tag	Name	Type	Further Information	End of life date
`!amhc`	Australian Government Adult Mental Health Centre	Reserved	Departmental Circular	14 August 2022
`!ATAPS`	ATAPS	Reserved	Must only be used where data was migrated from ATAPS
`!covid19`	Australian Government HeadtoHelp hubs	Extension	Departmental Circular	31 January 2023
`!nspt`	Australian Government National Suicide Prevention Trial	Extension		30 October 2020

3.5.1.3. Departmental Circulars for Current Reserved Tags

3.5.1.3.1. !br20 - Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire

Information about the use of the !br20 tag was provided in the Departmental Circular from January 2020.

For up to date information on applying tags in data uploads please refer to Considerations for applying reserved tags in data uploads

3.5.1.3.2. !covid19 - Episode occurred as result of COVID-19 pandemic

The !covid19 tag was originally used for indicating that an episode occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s use was then changed for the purpose of implementing the Head to Help Version 3 specification as documented at !covid19 - Australian Government HeadtoHelp hubs.

When migrating data during the Version 4 rollout, NSW and Victorian pop-up clinics data was identified using the Head to Help Version 3 extension and !covid19 tag. Any records that were identified this way were mapped to the 2: Head to Health Program Type field under the Version 4 specification.

The !covid19 tag now remains as a reserved tag for the original purpose of indicating that an episode has occurred as result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

3.5.1.3.3. !uaooh - Universal Aftercare Out of Hospital

Information about the use of the !uaooh tag was provided in the Departmental Circular from November 19, 2025.

For up to date information on applying tags in data uploads please refer to Considerations for applying reserved tags in data uploads

3.5.1.3.4. !rhcpsychology and !rhcpsychiatry - Rural Health Connect

Information about the use of the !rchpsychology and !rchpsychiatry tags was provided in the Departmental Circular from April ??, 2026.

For up to date information on applying tags in data uploads please refer to Considerations for applying reserved tags in data uploads

3.5.1.4. Departmental Circulars for Historial Reserved Tags

3.5.1.4.1. !covid19 - Australian Government HeadtoHelp hubs

Warning

The usage for the !covid19 tag changed when the Head to Help Version 3 specification was phased out. The ongoing use for the !covid19 tag is documented at !covid19 - Episode occurred as result of COVID-19 pandemic. The following documentation is being maintained for historical purposes.

Information about the use of the !covid19 tag was provided in the Departmental Circular from September 2020.

For up to date information on applying tags in data uploads please refer to Considerations for applying reserved tags in data uploads

3.5.1.4.2. !amhc - Australian Government Mental Health Centres

Information about the use of the !amhc tag was provided in the Departmental Circular from 25 November, 2021.

For up to date information on applying tags in data uploads please refer to Considerations for applying reserved tags in data uploads

3.5.1.5. Considerations for applying reserved tags in data uploads

Users of local third-party or in-house developed systems will need to address varying issues depending on the capability of the system. When considering options please be aware the PMHC MDS specification does not require that data is captured in the same manner as it is supplied during upload.

In the below options, “Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire” is used as an example reserved tag, but the same applies for any of the current reserved tags.

An ideal solution could be to add an extensible multiple choice “Tags” field to local episode data entry screens. This could initially include an “Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire” option thereby providing the organisation control over the possible tags that can be captured. By ensuring that additional options were easily added in the future such a field would support future special access programs without significant changes, as well as other purposes local or as requested by the Department.

An alternative approach, requiring less development, would be to extend an existing local field at the episode level with a response for each reserved tag (e.g. “Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire”). This also gives the organisation control over the values that may be selected.

In both of the above examples, development work would also be required in the data extraction process used to produce PMHC MDS compliant upload files. Continuing to use “Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire” as an example, an endorsement of “Australian Government Mental Health Response to Bushfire” via either method would be converted to the tag !br20 on the extracted episode records where appropriate.

An alternative but not preferred option is that episode records could be uploaded and then subsequently manually tagged via the data entry interface. This would require significant manual processes and double handling but it is a use case supported by the PMHC MDS.

If you have queries about managing data upload processes please contact the PMHC MDS helpdesk at support@pmhc-mds.com.

3.5.2. Inputs to help replicate system generated reports

Organisations frequently replicate the system reports at a local level for their own auditing purposes.

Some reports, such as the Out series reports, use extra inputs that cannot be generated locally.

These inputs are being supplied here to assist organisations who wish to replicate the system reports.

3.5.2.1. Outcome Measure Standard Deviations

Outcome Measure Standard Deviations will be updated in the second half of August each year.

Current version:

Download PMHC Outcome Measure Standard Deviations 2025 as XLSX.

Previous versions: