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Two people are reading a document. One person is pointing to the page and talking.

A member of staff or a carer can support you to read this booklet. They will be able to answer any questions that you have.

Hard words in this book will look like this. There is a list of hard words and what they mean.

Two men interacting, one standing and one seated in a wheelchair.

What is care co-ordination?

If you have mental health problems you might feel very sad or angry. You might need support to help you live the life you want.

Care co-ordination is a way to plan your support. It helps to make sure you get the support you need.

Four people sitting on a green sofa, smiling.

Care co-ordination can help people who support you too. This could be your friends, family or other people who help you.

A diverse group of five people smiling, including a man in a wheelchair. Two smiling people shaking hands, one wearing a dark blue T-shirt and jeans, the other in a pink polo shirt and shorts.

There are 2 types of care co-ordination

  • non CPA
  • Care Programme Approach CPA

The type of care co-ordination you get depends how much help and support you need.

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What is non CPA?

If you can do most of your own care you might not need a lot of extra support from other people. This means you have low level needs.

You will have a named person to help you with your mental health problems. This person is known as your lead professional.

This support is sometimes called non CPA.

A diverse group of five people smiling, including a man in a wheelchair.

What is care programme approach CPA?

If you have complex needs you might need support with lots of different things.

You will probably need support from lots of different people including professionals, family and friends. These people are known as your care team.

If you have complex needs like this we will use the Care Programme Approach CPA to support you.

Two people seated, one showing something on a tablet to the other.

You will have a named person to help plan all the support you need.

This person will be your care co-ordinator.

Two people having a serious conversation, one explaining and the other listening.

Assessment

We will talk to you to find out about the support you need.

We will ask you questions about things that are upsetting you or things that are difficult.

For example we might ask you about where you live, your job, your friends and family.

This will help us to know what we need to do to give you the best support.

Cover of a notebook titled 'Care Plan' featuring a man in a wheelchair talking to a kneeling woman.

Planning

We will write a care plan with you. We will work with you to find out what support you need.

Your care plan tells the people who support you how to give you the support you need.

Your care plan has contact information for all the people who support you.

Person crouching and talking on phone while another person lies on the ground.

Your care plan also has a crisis plan.

A crisis plan tells people

  • what to do in an emergency
  • what to do if you are unwell.
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Review

We will have a meeting to check your care plan at least once a year. We can check it more often if you need.

We will have a meeting with you and the people who support you. You can bring someone with you if you want like a carer or friend.

A diverse group of people in a meeting, with some in wheelchairs and a guide dog present.

We will make sure you are still getting the support you need. We will find out if you need different support.

Four people sitting on a green sofa, smiling.

Family and friends

Your friends and family might give you support too.

When you have meetings for assessment or care planning you can talk about your family. You can also talk about friends or other people who are important to you.

Four people sitting around a round table, talking.

If you want them to your friends and family can help with planning your care. You can ask them to come to meetings with you.

Two men engaging in a discussion while looking at a piece of paper.

If your friends and family give you a lot of support they might be able to get these things

  • A carers assessment to see what help they might need to support you.
Support plan booklet cover with a photo of two individuals.
  • A written care plan about the support they can get.
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  • Information about what to do and who to contact in an emergency.
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How long can you get support for?

Everyone is different. Some people need support for a short time and other people need support for longer.

We want to make sure you get the right support for as long as you need. We also want you to be able to cope well without support as soon as possible.

Person in a white shirt and tie writing at a desk with an open book.

When you can cope well your care co-ordinator will write to your GP. They will tell your GP what support you might need from your GP.

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Information about you

We will keep information about you private.

We will only tell people who need to know. This will help them to give you the best support.

A hand holding a pen writing on an envelope with a blue stamp.

You can ask to see the information we have about you. To find out more contact:

The Disclosure Team
Information Governance and Medico Legal Department
St Nicholas Hospital
Jubilee Road
Gosforth
Newcastle, NE3 3XT

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Problems, complaints or suggestions

If you are unhappy about your support you should tell your care co-ordinator or lead professional. They will help you to make a complaint.

Front cover of Trust complaints leaflet

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has a complaints policy. We will give you a leaflet about how to make a complaint.

If you think that we could improve our service then please let a nurse know your idea.

telephone

Or you can call the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

South of Tyne
0800 328 4397

North of Tyne
0800 032 0202

Cover of a notebook titled 'Care Plan' featuring a man in a wheelchair talking to a kneeling woman.

How to find out more

To find out more about care co-ordination and care programme approach CPA speak to a member of your healthcare team.

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For useful information about staying well contact
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Patient Information Centre

www.cntw.nhs.uk

telephone

Independent Mental Health Advocacy  Services

Contact details for your local Independent Mental Health Advocacy services are on this page on our website.

 

What words mean

  • care co-ordinator
    If you have complex needs your care co-ordinator will plan the support you get from different mental health professionals.
  • complex needs
    This is when you need help and support with lots of different things in your life. You might need support from different people.
  • GP
    This is the doctor you usually go to see if you are not feeling well.
  • lead professional
    If you do not have complex needs your lead professional will plan your care. You might just need support from the lead professional.
  • low level needs
    This means you do not need very much extra support to help you live your life.
  • mental health problems
    This is when you find it hard to cope with things in your life. You might get very angry or upset. You might need support to feel better.
  • professional
    This is someone who is trained to help you with your mental health problems. This could be a social worker, community psychiatric nurse (CPN), occupational therapist (OT), psychologist, therapist or doctor.
  • named person
    This is the person you will talk to about the support you need. They will help to make sure you get the right support. They will write your care plan with you.

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Easy words and design by Clear - www.clearforall.co.uk

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/675/0625 June 2025 V7
Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288
Review date 2028