Refocusing the Care Programme Approach (CPA)

The Department of Health has funded CCAWI at the University of Lincoln to produce a learning resource to support mental health care co-ordinators. The resource is free and consists of a trainer’s manual, a trainee’s manual, PowerPoint presentations, a DVD and a work based assessment scheme. The package will support the delivery of flexible, localised, multi-disciplinary training programmes to support and update care co-ordinators on the refocused CPA policy.

The resource has been designed in partnership with the Care Programme Approach Association (CPAA), The Mental health Foundation and Linking Voices, a service user and carer organisation based in Lincolnshire. The programme has been piloted and reviewed by mental health workers, service users and carers. A distinctive feature is a collection of narratives from service users, carers and mental health professionals who talk about their experiences in relation to CPA. These clips are integrated throughout the training package.

The Re-focusing CPA training materials went through extensive testing during their development stage. Specific pilot and development events (usually over a number of days) were held both in Lincoln and Huddersfield. The attendees at these events played a significant role in co-designing significant elements of the programme.

In January and February 2010 the CPA Project team organised four stakeholder conferences in Leeds, Birmingham, Brighton and Bristol. These events introduced the national learning resource and provided a forum for people with a vested interest in CPA to discuss significant challenges, positive practice and suggestions.

Refocusing CPA Training Resources

Refocusing CPA Training Resources Development Team