First impressions of a national learning resource to support positive practice in using the Care Programme Approach in mental health settings
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17556228200900031 |
| Date | 11 December 2009 |
| Published date | 11 December 2009 |
| Pages | 35-40 |
| Author | Andy Betts,Ian McGonagle,Ian Baguley,Christine Jackson,Carol Callinan |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
35
The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice Volume 4 Issue 4 December 2009 © Pier Professional Ltd
First impressions of a national
learning resource to support
positive practice in using the Care
Programme Approach in mental
health settings
Abstract
The Care Programme Approach (CPA) is the
fundame ntal framewo rk for supporti ng the
care and treatment of individuals with severe
and complex men tal health needs. Na tional
consultations with stakeholders (Department of
Health, 2006) identified a lack of consistency in
the implementation of the CPA across England,
informed fresh guidance (Department of Health,
2008a) and highlighted the need for a valid and
flexible training initiative to support the workforce
in this important aspect of their practice. In
response, a partnership team was commissioned
by the Departme nt of Health to design and
disseminate such a learning resource. This paper
details the first impressions of this re source
from those who requested the materials and
subsequently responded with an online evaluation
questionnaire (n=27).
These early responses demonstrate that the
CPA learning resource is viewed by respondents
as flexible, easy-to-use and comprehensive. In
addition, DVD narratives of professionals, service
users and carers’ experiences of CPA in adult
mental health services were identified as valuable
elements of the resource as they assist trainers in
the illustration of critical themes. Further results
explore its utility in the training environment and
highlight flexibility of delivery as an important
feature. This enables the resource to be integrated
with existing training materials or to guide the
development of new training initiatives. As further
evaluations are collected and analysed, they will
feed into a process of incremental improvement of
the learning package to ensure that it meets the
requirements of the multidisciplinary workforce.
Key words:
Care Programme Approach (CPA); complexity;
care co-ordinator; case management; depression;
suicide; education; training; evaluation
Background
The Care Programme Approach (CPA) has been an
important framework for supporting the care of individuals
with severe and complex mental health problems since its
introduction in 1990. The CPA aims to provide a systematic,
Andy Betts
Ian McGonagle
Ian Baguley
Christine Jackson
Carol Callinan
The Centre for Clinical and Academic Workforce Innovation, University of Lincoln
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