Improving Access To
Psychological Therapies (IAPT)
The Improving Access To Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme supports the delivery of the core clinical programmes within the Long Term Plan and the Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 - 2023/24 (the Implementation Plan) by connecting commissioners, providers, professionals, patients and the public across pathways of care with the aim of improving health outcomes. This is achieved by sharing best practice and innovation, assessing and benchmarking quality and outcomes and driving improvement where required, through targeted support.
What We Are Trying To Achieve
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) provides evidence based psychological therapies approved by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). IAPT is primarily for treating people with mild to moderate anxiety disorders and/or depression.
The IAPT Programme aims to:
- Achieve and maintain the access standards.
- To ensure IAPT Long Term Condition services are in place.
- To ensure adequate and correctly trained workforce, and support for staff wellbeing.
- To improve access for Older Adults, and to close the gap for recovery of all ethnicity gaps relative to White British recovery rates.
- To improve health inequalities and support access to psychological therapies.
Why It’s Important
IAPT is based on 4 key principles:
- Better access to psychological therapies
- Clinical improvement and recovery
- Improved social and economic participation, including employment for working age people
- Increased patient choice and satisfaction in psychological therapies
What We Have Achieved In The Last 6 Months:
- We have provided training opportunities for the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners to refresh skills and revisit best practice to support the delivery of psychological therapies.
- Being part of the development and launch of the positive practice guide for Older Adults in IAPT to promote access and best practice.
- We have launched a Leadership and Management Course to support leadership within the IAPT workforce with Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners.
- We have been working with the IAPT National Team and Health Education England to support training, workforce, and recruitment initiatives for the region to increase diversity and support retention and wellbeing.
Meetings & Events
- IAPT Providers Network Meeting (Quarterly)
- Senior Psychological Wellbeing Network Meeting (Quarterly)
What We Plan To Do In The Next 6 Months:
- Host a series of learn and share events to focus on areas of challenge and support sharing best practice, reducing health inequalities and support quality improvement in the region.
- Deliver an event for our IAPT Networks to share information on the Community Mental Health transformation and support referral pathways.
- Support initiatives to increase access in the region.
- Support workforce development plans to support the expansion and increase diversity within the workforce.
Local Services
The Clinical Network support 3 Integrated Care Systems:
- South Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- Humber Coast and Vale
Your local IAPT service can be found here