Investigating Service-User Experiences of the IAPT Programme
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the Lived Experiences of the IAPT Programme: A Qualitative Study in Investigating Service-User Narratives
IRAS ID
151102
Contact name
Scott Steen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Chester
Research summary
The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme is a Government funded initiative, implemented in NHS primary care. The sole purpose of the programme is to reduce the incidence and burden of common mental health problems. By investing in evidence-based psychological therapies, those who wouldn’t have had access to them previously, can now do so. Previous research and national health guidelines advocate the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Despite this, IAPT still demonstrates wide variability in terms of its outcomes and delivery, high rates of service-user dropout and issues relating to access. Moreover, the programme evaluates its services through the use of quick outcome measures and satisfaction questionnaires.
This research study seeks to bridge a gap in the literature by exploring individual experiences, in-depth, of those who have been part of the IAPT service. This will involve interviewing ex-service-users of the programme. The interviews will report on what was important to this group in terms of their care, and what was a strength of the IAPT programme, as well as what perhaps could have been done better. The content of the interviews will avoid questioning related to their mental health condition. It is intended to serve purely as an evaluative exercise of the programme by an independent body. Interviews are intended to last 45 minutes-1 hour. Informed consent will be sought and all responses will be anonymised. The sample will be recruited via the means of an invitation letter to be handed out by each individual IAPT site that agrees to participate. This research will aim to recruit 20 participants in total who have experienced at least two therapeutic sessions with the IAPT programme. It will be a convenience sample, meaning those who express an interest will be recruited. Participants will also have the option to conduct an interview over the phone.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/0295
Date of REC Opinion
27 May 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion