ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the nature of the Care Programme Approach (CPA) and how it fits with whole systems care. It offers various points using the experiences of Tony, an old friend of mine who for many years suffered problems with his own mental health. One of the key considerations of the CPA is the service user’s role. At the heart of the CPA was the introduction of a ‘key worker’, an individual whose job it was to monitor a caseload of service users and ensure they coordinated care to meet their needs across disciplines, agencies and services. Vulnerability comes in many forms, and for the purposes of CPA selection each one needs to be considered on its own merit. For psychiatric and mental health nurses, the craft of caring needs mechanisms in place that offer the potential for individual creativity.
