For use by IAPT service provider organisations with all local
stakeholders.
<insert service name here>
Q.
Are these services new?
A.
The IAPT programme is a relatively new model of service that is being
rolled out across England. The programme began in 2006 with
Demonstration sites in Doncaster and Newham focusing on improving
access to psychological therapies services for adults of working age. In
2007, 11 IAPT Pathfinders began to explore the specific benefits of
services to vulnerable groups. Services are being introduced in all PCT
areas over the next year.
Q.
How are these services funded?
A.
£173m was invested by the Government and all PCTs are being be
allocated money to enable them to begin to provide these services
from April 2010.
Q.
What do these services do?
A.
The service is designed to be able to treat anxiety disorders,
depression, feelings of panic and isolation, difficulties controlling
feelings of worry, feelings of panic in social situations, feeling down,
feeling low, stressed out, people experiencing flashbacks to traumatic
events and those obsessing about their thoughts or fixated on
repetitive routines.
Q.
Who works in these services?
A.
There are two clinical roles in IAPT services, High Intensity Workers
and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners.
Clinical psychologists, Counselling psychologists, Nurse therapists,
Primary Care counsellors and other qualified Mental Health
professionals are eligible to train in delivering High Intensity therapy
(AfC Bands 6 and 7).
To become a High Intensity trainee, you will need to have had
considerable experience and training in providing psychological
therapies. Some of the staff who would be considered might currently
be working as nurses, occupational therapists & social workers,
counsellors, experienced graduate workers, psychotherapists or newly
qualified clinical psychologists.
Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner - People from a wide range of
backgrounds with a special interest in therapy are eligible to train in
delivering low Intensity therapy (AfC Band 4) as a psychological
wellbeing practitioner
For the psychological wellbeing practitioner (Low Intensity) trainees, we
look for people, who have preferably worked in local mental health
services or local communities, who can demonstrate that they can
meet the academic levels in the training programme and are interested
to work with this client group. These can be graduates or nongraduates.
Q.
What is the treatment like?
A.
Effective treatments for depression and anxiety have been identified by
the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). A
range of different therapies are becoming available within IAPT
services, however, services to date having focused on the delivery of
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Q.
Does everywhere have IAPT services?
A.
Not yet. All PCTs are working towards having started to run IAPT
services by the end of 20/11.
Q.
What happens to traditional and well established primary care
psychology services in our local area?
A.
<insert your own answer here>
Q.
Are there new jobs associated with these services?
A.
<insert your own answer here> yes or no – we have redesigned
services and retrained/refocused existing staff, note and reference
training of staff.
Q.
How do I get trained to work in these services?
A.
Further information including, IAPT job descriptions , Person
Specifications, accreditation process & course curricula, is available
on: http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/services/workforce/
Q.
How long do people wait to be seen?
A.
<local answer – which may include locally agreed targets> + It is
envisaged that as the service matures, we should move towards the
best practice target of two weeks from referral to assessment and a
further two weeks until treatment commences.
Q.
How long does treatment last?
A.
There is no pre-determined length for a course of treatment.
Q.
Does everybody that calls in get treatment?
A.
An initial assessment will take place to determine the right option for
each person. This may result in a range of options from some self help
advice through to ongoing hi-intensity treatment.
Q.
How do I access this service?
A.
<insert your own answer here>