Co-developing IAPT services for Affected Family Members V1 (IAPT-FMs)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Co-developing Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services to improve the response to Family Members affected by relatives with alcohol and drug problems (IAPT-FMs)
IRAS ID
297038
Contact name
Alex Georges Copello
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Research Question: How can Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services best meet the complex needs of help-seeking adults who also support relatives with alcohol or drug problems (affected family members)?
Research shows that having a relative with alcohol or drug problems leads to stress, anxiety and/or depression. Over 20% of people using IAPT services are concerned about a relative’s alcohol or drug problem (referred to as ‘affected family members’). Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services provide psychological therapies to those with such problems, however, they are not currently equipped to address this issue.
In this 24-month study (study set up started 01/01/2021), we aim to work with clients and staff (therapists and managers) within four IAPT services to design an improved response to affected family members. We will use a participatory approach to intervention development called experience based co-design in which we:
• Collect people’s experiences through interviews
• Identify service features which are beneficial or problematic
• Receive feedback and prioritise areas for action
• Work in close and equal collaboration with service users and providers to develop a new treatment pathway.We will interview affected family members (it is for this part of the project that we are applying for ethical review) and service providers to explore their experiences of IAPT services. We will identify current unmet needs and then generate ideas about how to address gaps and integrate appropriate interventions within IAPT services. To achieve this, we will hold a co-design event bringing together clients and providers to develop action plans. The research team will collate the action plans into a series of recommendations. The draft recommendations will be shared with four IAPT services and national stakeholders for feedback and refinement. Final recommendations will be widely disseminated and made publicly available.
This study is funded by National Institute for Health Research, Research for Patient Benefit.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0557
Date of REC Opinion
27 Aug 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion