Project MH42

Adult Locality Teams (ALT) Redesign and Evaluation

The purpose of the project was to identify areas of improvement in the Adult Locality Teams (ALTs) of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT). We completed a scoping exercise to understand staff’s point of view on current challenges and how those could be addressed. 

Background

The CPFT Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs), also called ALTs, have been facing increased workloads and staffing shortages. At a policy level, the Community Mental Health Framework proposed the improvement of CMHTs to further integrate care pathways, decrease waiting times for treatment, replace the Care Programme Approach (CPA) and reduce gaps in service provision. To address these service delivery challenges in the ALTs and implement, where helpful, recommendations from the Community Mental Health Framework, we conducted a scoping exercise to identify areas where the ALTs could be supported.

Project Aims

This project aimed to identify areas of improved service delivery for the ALTs in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Project Activity

We conducted 78 group and individual interviews with staff members of six ALTs across the CPFT and analysed notes taken qualitatively. We also organised a service user and carer engagement group to hear their views about provided care. Interviewed were jointly delivered by a Project Manager and a Researcher in Residence. Findings were combined with service maps developed by the CPFT Community Mental Health Transformation Team. 

Anticipated Outputs

  • Qualitative themes about service, inter-and intra-organisational challenges on ALTs performance  
  • Service Maps for each of the ALTs
  • A final report shared with the CPFT ALTs and CPFT Senior Management Team to inform decisions 

Who was involved?

  • Lida Efstathopoulou, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
  • Jules Mackenzie, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
  • Alex Mason, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
  • Kristy Sanderson, University of East Anglia

Contact us

MH42