Thank you to everyone who has taken part in the IAPT publications and proposed developments consultation. This survey has now closed and the results will be published in the coming months.
Employment Advisors in IAPT Pilot
As part of the Spending Review 2015, investment in Employment Advisors (EA) in IAPT is being taken forward by the Work (Department for Work and Pensions) and Health (Department of Health) Joint Unit (WHU). The investment, used to increase the number of EAs embedded in IAPT services, will support more people with depression and anxiety to receive integrated psychological therapy and employment support. The EA in IAPT pilot will provide skills based interventions, information and practical support to help people receiving IAPT services to: remain in, return to, and find work.
Pilot sites have been selected on a voluntary basis to flow additional data alongside the mandated IAPT data set in relation to employment and benefits.
The additional data collection will commence from the submission window opening 6th October 2017. The collection will take place for the duration of the Spending Review period with a view to including the new data items as part of the mandated IAPT standard in the future if this investment is evidenced to be successful.
The Technical Output Specification and associated Data Model have now been published, outlining a single new table containing the necessary additional data items required for submission:
| Document | Current version | Last updated |
| EA in IAPT pilot data set - technical output specification | 1.0 | 03-07-2017 |
| EA in IAPT Pilot Data Set - data model | 1.0 | 03-07-2017 |
Please see the 'IAPT Intermediate Databases' section below for details of the IDB to be used for submission and the IDB submission guidance document.
IAPT Long Term Conditions and Medically Unexplained Symptoms Early Implementer Program PILOT
Following the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, and subsequent implementation plan, NHS England is committed to increasing access to integrated evidence-based psychological therapies for people with anxiety/depression in the context of Long- Term physical health problems and persistent and distressing Medically Unexplained Symptoms.
To support this, the IAPT programme has commissioned a pilot data collection and analysis of the impact of 'Integrated IAPT' services co-located in and integrated with physical health services, focused on people with anxiety/depression in the context of Long Term Conditions (LTCs) and/or Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS). These will be delivered in primary care and outpatient settings with savings expected in secondary care and primary care.
This pilot exercise is linked to the existing IAPT data set standard through the collection of LTC and/or MUS data from participating IAPT providers and services. The data collected will be used to assess the impact of the Integrated IAPT Early Implementers Programme on health outcomes and use of primary and secondary healthcare services. Currently, 22 IAPT providers are being supported as Integrated IAPT Early Implementers in 2016/17 and 2017/18. More details at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/adults/iapt/mus/sites/.
IAPT LTC/MUS Pilot Technical Output Specification (DRAFT)
The Technical Output Specification for IAPT LTC/MUS Pilot contains all of the technical information required to support the pilot data collection. The Technical Output Specification also includes additional information relating to the validations carried out by the Bureau Service Portal and any derived data items. Please note that the technical specifications are subject to minor change once the data collection commences by March 2017.
| IAPT data set LTC pilot specification | Draft v0.9 | 24-04-2017 |
Please see the 'IAPT Intermediate Databases' section for details of the IDB to be used for submission and the IDB submission guidance document.
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Data Set - v1.5
We collect national data on Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), to encourage improved access to talking therapies for people with common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety disorders.
Started in April 2012, this data set is submitted by providers of NHS-funded care via the NHS Digital Bureau Service Portal.
What data do we collect on Improving Access to Psychological Therapies?
A variety of health and well-being data including:
- patient health questionnaire
- generalised anxiety disorder assessment questionnaire
- phobia screening questions
- disorder specific measures
- work and social adjustment scale
- employment questions
- waiting times
- patient experience questionnaire
Who should submit this information?
Providers of NHS-funded mental health services. New guidance is now available to help facilitate the collection of IAPT activity data from Primary Care Setting - including GP Practices. The guidance was sent to all IAPT providers and commissioners registered with NHS Digital. A copy of this guidance can be obtained by contacting the NHS Digital by sending an email request to enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk.
How do I submit the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies data set?
Guidance for providers experiencing challenges in submitting data is available.
You should submit the IAPT data set via the mental health bureau service on the Open Exeter portal. This site is provided by NHS Digital and only accessible via an HSCN (Health and Social Care Network) connection to the NHS network.
Step one: check that your organisation's Caldicott Guardian - a senior person responsible for protecting patient information - is on the Open Exeter register. If they are not, the Caldicott Guardian will need to register first.
Step two: complete a data user certificate to get access to the Bureau Service Portal, and send it to the Open Exeter helpdesk at exeter.helpdesk@nhs.net.
Providers and commissioners should complete the same form.
Clinical Support Units should apply using the link below:
- IAPT data user certificate for CSU users (Opens in a new window)
For help with completing the form, contact the Open Exeter Helpdesk on exeter.helpdesk@nhs.net or 0300 303 4034.