Changes to mental health services provided in the community guide

Changes to Care Programme Approach (CPA)

CPA started 30 years ago to help people in the community with severe mental illnesses. It introduced care planning and coordination, allowing people to be more involved in their own care and receive a written plan of their treatment and support.

Services have improved and the new approach builds on these developments to provide better, more person centred care. The goal is to ensure that all service users and carers receive the support they need based on good practice, providing meaningful, intervention based care.

Replacing the Care Programme Approach (CPA)

As part of the Community Mental Health Framework 2021, we’re developing care which better identifies the social support some people with mental health problems need so they can continue to live in the community.

We’ve identified and built on best practice from several organisations. If you have questions about changes to community mental health care services, or wish to discuss anything in this leaflleaflet, please speak with a member of staff.

What are the changes?

These changes provide the necessary structure and support to make sure all service users and carers receive a service that’s recognised as good practice.

Key workers from a multi-disciplinary team proactively support service users and carers to create their own holistic care plan which may include care and support from a wide range of agencies.

Service users are matched with a key worker with the skills, qualifications and experience best suited to their needs. This may include staff with experience of using mental health services and people from non NHS services.

What are the benefits?

• We can formalise partnerships with primary and non statutory services
• We can identify or design a range of intervention based care
• We are able to identify the person or group with the best skills, qualifications and experience for each intervention based episode of care
• We can ensure there is proactive carer support and engagement
• We can design documentation and processes proportionate to each task
• There is greater access to wider support networks, therefore reducing the need to see mental health practitioners
• It will enable each service user to work with their carers and the person with the right skills to design and carry out their own holistic intervention based care plan.

Our patients matter

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust listens andresponds to patients and their carers to help improve the services we deliver.

If you have any comments, compliments or concerns you can speak with a member of staff or contact our Patient Advice and LiaisonService (PALS) and Complaints Team.

Telephone: 0151 471 2377Freephone: 0800 328 2941Email: palsandcomplaints@merseycare.nhs.uk