IAPT Performance Investigation – National Audit Office Request

‘The National Audit Office is currently carrying out an investigation into the performance data of IAPT services. The investigation is focussing on waiting times, but also refers to the reported 50% recovery rates and can accept information about the collection and measurement of data across IAPT outcomes.  

This is a genuine opportunity for us to challenge the data on which mental health service targets are being set.

Many of you have important experience of what is happening in IAPT services that is crucial for the NAO in building an accurate picture of what is going on.

Please submit your evidence to Jenny George Jenny.George@nao.gsi.gov.uk and David Rarity David.Raraty@nao.gsi.gov.uk  who will be writing the report during August. It’s a tight deadline so please submit what you can as soon as possible.

The NAO website is HERE and below is the information provided about the inquiry.

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies performance data

The ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) programme increases access to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved treatment for depression and anxiety disorders. In October 2014, the Department of Health and NHS England jointly published Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020. This set new standards for the time people should wait for mental health treatment and the care they should be able to access. In the case of IAPT services, the standards are that 75% of people referred should be treated within six weeks, and 95% within 18 weeks of referral, and that 50% of those who complete treatment will recover. NHS Digital publishes monthly statistics that report performance against these standards. This investigation will establish the facts around how the national statistics are prepared.

This is a really significant opportunity for us to share our experiences of what is going wrong in performance management of services. Please, take the time to contribute to the report’.