NHS Test 22
5 min40 WPM required327 words
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The Care Programme Approach is the framework used by mental health services in England to coordinate the care of people with mental health needs who are in contact with secondary mental health services, ensuring that each person has an identified care coordinator, a comprehensive care plan, and regular reviews that involve the service user, their carers, and all relevant professionals. Standard CPA applies to people with less complex needs whose care can be effectively coordinated by a single keyworker working within a community mental health team, while enhanced CPA is used for people with more complex needs, higher levels of risk, or multi-agency involvement, requiring more intensive coordination and a fuller care plan that addresses all aspects of the person's life including housing, employment, social support, and physical health as well as their mental health needs. The care coordinator role is central to the CPA framework, with responsibility for maintaining regular contact with the service user, monitoring their mental state and circumstances, coordinating input from other team members and partner agencies, updating the care plan to reflect changes in needs and goals, and acting as the main point of contact for the service user, their family, and referrers. Care and treatment reviews are structured meetings, typically including the service user, their care coordinator, a consultant psychiatrist, other relevant team members, and any carers or advocates the service user wishes to involve, at which the care plan is reviewed, progress against goals is assessed, and decisions about the continuation, modification, or step-down of care are made. The CPA review documentation must be completed within specified timeframes after each review, shared with the service user and their GP, and stored in the electronic care record in a way that makes it accessible to all authorised members of the care team. Personalised care planning within the CPA framework emphasises the recovery approach, supporting service users to identify their own goals and to take an active role in planning their care.