Provision of Improved Access to Psychological Therapies.

Descriptions

Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (HCCG) is made up of representatives from each of the 17 practices across Runcorn and Widnes.We are responsible for planning NHS services across the borough, and work with other clinicians and healthcare providers to ensure they meet the needs of local people.This includes:Elective hospital care;Rehabilitation care;Urgent and emergency care;Most community health services;Mental health and learning disability services.Our organisation works with patients and healthcare professionals, as well as in partnership with local communities and Halton Borough Council to make sure that health and social care is linked together for people whenever possible.HCCG is overseen by NHS England, which ensures that we have the capacity and capability to commission services successfully and to meet our financial responsibilities.Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is a national NHS programme being rolled out across England during 2008–2015. This plan accompanies the cross Government mental health strategy “No health without mental health “.The aim of the programme is to develop local talking therapy services that offer treatments for depression and anxiety disorders, as per the guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), across England by March 2015, the end of the spending review period.In addition, all IAPT services will be expected to deliver employment support. Funding to support one employment support worker for every eight therapists will be available by 2013/14.The IAPT service model is based on 40 therapists per 250,000 adult populations with some flexibility to accommodate local circumstances. Staffing consists of High Intensity Therapist (HITS) and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) who deliver NICE – approved interventions to people with depression and/or anxiety disorders in a system of stepped care linked to employment and primary care supportIAPT offers increased access to NICE approved treatments for people with depression and anxiety disorders by delivering:Trained, competent workforce;Implementing quality standards (recovery, choice, equity);Routine monitoring of patient reported outcome measures;Defined care pathways in a stepped care model.