Care Programme Approach
Care Programme Approach (CPA) is a process used to identify your health and social care needs and of arranging the best way to meet them. It aims is to make sure your care is properly planned and coordinated.
Often CPA is the most common way to decide the best form of help for you. It could mean meeting all the professionals and people who care for you or discussing your care with your care coordinator.
What is a care coordinator?
A care co-ordinator is the person who takes overall responsibility for your care plan and makes sure everything runs smoothly. This role can be taken on by your social worker, psychiatrist, occupational therapist, community psychiatric nurse, key worker or other professional involved in your care. It is usually the professional you have most contact with
Who gets CPA?
Service users who have complex needs and are receiving support from the statutory mental health services get a CPA. A CPA is not required if a service user has straightforward needs and has contact with only one agency. Here a professional from that agency will be responsible for supporting their care. You will still receive the care you need even if you don’t have a CPA.
What does CPA cover?
Basically anything affecting your mental health should be included in your CPA. Assessment, care planning, care delivery and review by your named care co-ordinator are all part of the CPA.
The written care plan should be drawn up with you and include your views. You should sign this care plan along with the professional who developed it with you.
Who has a copy of the care plan?
You and everyone involved in your support, including your carer, should have a copy of the care plan.
How do I prepare for my CPA review?
CPA is an ongoing process and review meetings are held regularly. At these meetings you and everyone involved in your care will discuss your progress and any necessary changes.
Being prepared for the review process can give you confidence and make it seem less daunting. It will also ensure the care plan developed from the review will meet your needs. You might want to think about:
- the type of things you find supportive and would like in your care plan
- consider any areas of difficulty you may be having
- make a list of things you would like to talk about
- decide any questions you would like to ask
- think about what you want in your crisis plan or advance statement
- take a friend, relative or advocate with you and decide how you would like them to support you
- discuss the review meeting with your care co-ordinator
- if you find large meetings difficult your care co-ordinator may be able to suggest an alternative to this
What happens if things change?
First of all you need to discuss any changes with your care co-ordinator, and then again at your next review meeting. Depending on the nature of the changes your care plan may be altered.
At each review meeting the need to continue using CPA will also be reviewed.
Where does my carer fit into all of this?
Your carer can support you as much or as little as you both choose. However, where a carer provides support they may be entitled to an assessment of their needs and a care plan. This applies whether CPA is required or not.
What if I'm not happy with my CPA
In the first instance you should talk to your care co-ordinator. Get the support of an advocate if they will help you say what you need. An advocate may be a member of your family or a friend, but usually it is an independent professional who speaks on behalf of service users. You can find out how to contact your local advocate by asking a member of staff or your care co-ordinator.
If you cannot resolve the problem informally then ask your care co-ordinator (or another professional) for a copy of the complaints procedure. When making a complaint, try to be as specific as possible. Be clear about what you want to achieve. Put things in writing and keeping copies wherever possible. You might also want to get someone to help you make your complaint.