ABSTRACT
On World Mental Health Day 2007, the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme, a UK government initiative, was launched across England. The programme was developed to improve people’s wellbeing by offering National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved, evidence-based psychological interventions to people with depression and anxiety disorders. A range of therapists were trained to deliver NICE-approved psychological interventions, to standards one would see for therapists delivering randomized control trials. IAPT services are outcomes-based services that deliver interventions based on the stepped-care model, as described in NICE Guidance (NICE 2004a; 2004b) and provide step 2 and step 3 of the stepped-care pathway. Step 2 offers computerized CBT, guided self and psychoeducation group interventions provided by Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs). Step 3 offers CBT, IPT, dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT), couples therapy for depression and counselling for depression, in individual and group formats provided by accredited psychological therapists.
