The COPE initiative: Four years on

Three years ago the authors Tim Bradshaw, Hilary Mairs and Fiona Lowndes published a paper that described the development of a new multi-disciplinary training programme, named the COPE initiative, funded by the NHS in response to a request from local service providers (Collaboration on Psychosocial Education) (Bradshaw et al, 2000). Cope courses started in 1998 and aimed to train 250 mental health professionals in services in north west England to deliver psychosocial interventions (PSI) with individuals with severe mental illness. In addition, COPE recognised the need to work with these professionals and their managers to facilitate the implementation of PSI approaches in routine mental health practice once the trainees had completed the course.