National British Sign Language (BSL) IAPT

Concepts

• national british sign language
• health services
• leeds
• adult anxiety disorders
• iapt
• iapt services
• bsl
• ability of iapt services
• british sign language
• use of a trained bsl interpreter

Location

United Kingdom:

Description

The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme began in 2008 and has transformed the treatment of adult anxiety disorders and depression in England. IAPT is widely-recognised as the most ambitious programme of talking therapies in the world and in the past year alone more than one million people accessed IAPT services for help to overcome their depression and anxiety, and better manage their mental health.Plans set out in the NHS Long Term Plan build on the ambitions of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. The NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24 provides a new framework to ensure delivery, at the local level, on the commitment to pursue the most ambitious transformation of mental health care in England.To further improve access to services, NHS England intends to centrally commission a service that uses British Sign Language to deliver psychological therapies to Deaf adults (18 years and over)

Total Quantity or Scope

The Five-Year Forward View for Mental Health (FYFVMH, Oct 2016) and the Long Term Plan (LTP, 2019) emphasise the ability of IAPT services to provide support for people with depression and anxiety disorders that can be managed effectively in a uni-professional context. IAPT services remain a key focus of the LTP in delivering the improved outcomes aspired to by linking mental health and physical health. The LTP sets out a commitment to expanding IAPT services with a view to increasing access to psychological therapies for an additional 390,000 people with common mental health problems which means that by 2023/24 1.9 million people nationally each year will access treatment via IAPT services.As IAPT services expand there has been a need identified to increase access for people who are Deaf and use BSL. Commissioning BSL services at a local level can be difficult due to the relatively small numbers of BSL users in each locality. Therefore, central funding has been identified to pilot a national BSL IAPT offer.Deaf people are currently believed to be vastly underrepresented in IAPT services. They face a number of barriers including misdiagnosis and availability of appropriate communication aids. There are two main options for Deaf people reliant on BSL for accessing therapy via IAPT: accessing their local service through the use of a trained BSL interpreter or by accessing therapy from a trained IAPT clinician who uses BSL themselves. Aim of the serviceThe National BSL IAPT Service is required to meet three overarching criteria:1. To provide IAPT compliant therapies in BSL2. To provide national coverage and accessibility3. To build the BSL-speaking IAPT workforce

Renewal Options

Options of two 12 month extensions

CPV Codes

• 85100000 - Health services
• 85312320 - Counselling services

Indicators

• This is a one-off contract (no recurrence)
• Renewals are available.

Other Information

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