The Choice and Partnership Approach is a clinical system that evolved in Richmond CAMHS, was implemented wholesale in East Herts CAMHS and has evolved through all our conferences and with much support from our own teams. It is now being widely implemented across the UK and world.

CAPA is a clinical system that helps you to:

·          Do the right things (working towards goals the family and young person wants)

·          With the right people (with clinicians with the right skills)

·          At the right time (in a timely manner without waiting lists)

Is is:

·          flexible

·          can be tailored to fit to your individual circumstances.

·          most effective if implemented as a whole system (as did the team Steve works in)             but can be done in stages (as did the service Ann works in)

·          uses many of the 7 HELPFUL Habits of Effective CAMHS, especially

             E (Extend Capacity

             L (Let Go of Families)

             F (Flow Management)

It uses demand and capacity theory, 10 High Impact Changes and the 7 HELPFUL Habits in combination to facilitate provision of a service that is user focussed, accessible and evidenced based. It makes active use of New Ways of Working and You’re Welcome Standards: This is pictorial summary: