IAPT for Severe Mental Illness Project FAQ's
1. Why are we developing the IAPT for SMI project and what are its aims?
The Severe Mental Illness (IAPT for SMI) project aims to improve access to a range of
NICE recommended psychological therapies for those with psychosis, bipolar disorder
and personality disorders. The ultimate long-term ambition of the IAPT for SMI project
will be to ensure that psychological therapies are available as a frontline treatment for
everyone with psychosis, bipolar or personality disorders who could benefit from
evidence based psychological therapies has access to these interventions.
2. Which organisations have been selected as IAPT for SMI Demonstration Sites
Psychosis
Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
James Kelly, Clinical Psychologist: IAPT.SMI@lancashirecare.nhs.uk
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Louise Johns, Consultant Clinical Psychologist: louise.johns@slam.nhs.uk
Bipolar Disorder Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust and
Spectrum will be working in partnership on Bipolar Disorder
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
Dr Amanda Gatherer, Director of Psychological Services & Head of Psychology:
amanda.gatherer@bsmhft.nhs.uk
Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research - Lancaster University
Steve Jones, Director of Spectrum Centre for Mental Health Research:
s.jones7@lancaster.ac.uk
Personality Disorder
Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Chris Gordon, Clinical Manager PD Service: PDService@sompar.nhs.uk
North East London NHS Foundation Trust:
Dr. Janet Feigenbaum - Strategic and Clinical Lead for Personality Disorder Services
janet.feigenbaum@nhs.net
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust
Professor Anthony Bateman - Clinical Lead: abateman@nhs.net
2. Are the IAPT for SMI Demonstration Sites an expansion of IAPT services?
The IAPT for SMI project is a transformational project that looks to work with existing
IAPT services and established secondary care mental health providers to improve
access to psychological therapies for people with severe mental illnesses. IAPT for SMI
Demonstration Sites were selected as they had developed a systematic approach to the
delivery of NICE recommended psychological therapies for psychosis, bipolar disorder
and/or personality disorder and were able to demonstrate improved access to these
interventions compared with the national average.
3. How long are the Demonstration Sites scheduled for?
The Demonstration Sites run from the 1st November 2012 through to 31st March 2016.
4. Which conditions and therapies are included in the IAPT for SMI project?
The IAPT for SMI project is aimed at individuals presenting with Psychosis, Personality
Disorder (PD) and Bipolar Disorder (BD) who could benefit from the following NICE
recommended psychological therapies for:
Psychosisi
 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
 Family interventions
Bipolar Disorderii
 CBT
 Family interventions
For Personality Disorder the evidence base is more challenging and NICE recommends
the context in which people are treated is as important as the delivery of evidence
based therapies. NICE guidance currently available recommends the following:
Borderline Personality Disorderiii
 An explicit and integrated theoretical approach to be used by the whole service
 Therapist supervision
 Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for self-harming Women
 Specialist PD services for people with more severe presentations
It does not advocate the use of brief interventions with this client group.
Anti-social Personality Disorderiv
 Group based CBT for impulsivity, interpersonal difficulties and antisocial
behaviour.
 Reasoning and rehabilitation programme for offenders
5. Collection of outcome data
IAPT for SMI Demonstration sites are required to collect sessional data to support the
evaluation of service user recovery, satisfaction and health utilisation. The learning
from these sites will be used to develop a Minimum Data Set for SMI services providing
psychological therapies
NICE Clinical guideline, (CG 178, 2014)
NICE Clinical guideline, (CG38, 2006)
iii
NICE Clinical guideline, (CG78, 2009)
iv
NICE Clinical guideline, (CG77, 2009)
i
ii