A Delphi study to identify research priorities for an Australian Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

The Western Australian (WA) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is currently under reform, presenting many unique and important opportunities for research. Identifying CAMHS research priorities is thus timely and ensures finite resources are channeled into projects which are aligned with the interests and needs of its key stakeholders. Accordingly, this study aimed to establish consensus on CAMHS research priorities across both those with a lived experience with, and mental health professionals working at, the service. A modified Delphi method with two broad phases was employed. The CAMHS Research Steering Committee generated a list of broad research priority areas (phase one) which were subsequently rated by the two representative panels (CAMHS lived and professional experience) across two Delphi rounds (phase two). Consensus was reached on the following eight broad research priorities: Best Practice, Experiences of Care, Diagnosis and Identification, Evaluation and Implementation, Service Utilisation, Innovation, Workforce, and Determinants and Modifiers. This study shows that involving consumers, carers, and staff in research priority setting will inform a research agenda that is of direct relevance to health service users and staff. The identified priorities and methods used provide an important precedent to support similar efforts in health services nationally and internationally.