A Genealogy of the Care Programme Approach in Mental Health Services

The Care Programme Approach (CPA) was introduced by the Government in
1991 as an administrative strategy for community mental health services
involving; assessment, planning, care co-ordinators and regular reviews. The
study applied a genealogical methodology to conduct a historical analysis of the
CPA from 1945 to the present day. This explored the political conditions of
possibility for its emergence in 1991 and its evolution. The constructions of
mental health and mental health services represented by the CPA were
considered and how they have changed over time. The CPA might reflect wider
themes in the mental health system such as, the dominance of the New Public
Management in mental health services since the 1980s, and a concern with risk
management since the 1990s. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.