IAPT Database

When adults* in England seek treatment for OCD (or for any anxiety problem), they are usually referred to, or  ‘self-refer’ to, their Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service. Because each local IAPT service has its own service name, it can be difficult to find your local IAPT service should you wish to self-refer without speaking to your GP.

Rather than each local IAPT service being ‘Nottingham IAPT’ or ‘Derby IAPT’, each local IAPT service has their own unique service name, for example Healthy Minds, Let’s Talk, Inclusion Matters etc.  So unless you happen to know the name of your local IAPT service, you will need to search for it, which is why it can be helpful to use the NHS IAPT database.

* Some IAPT services offer therapy to those who are 16 or 17 years old, so if you are in that age group or are a loved one of someone who is, then it might be worth searching the NHS database for your local IAPT service if you are unsure. This is particularly relevant for those who may become an adult while waiting for therapy through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Click below to access the NHS England IAPT database search.

Click here to use the latest NHS IAPT Search Tool

You will need to know the name of your GP surgery or surgery street name to use the tool.

TIPS FOR USING THE DATABASE
To use the database, simply click on the link above and follow the steps. As your local IAPT service is dependent on where your GP is registered you will need the name of your GP surgery or the street name where it is situated to find your local service.

  • Tip
    If your GP surgery includes generic words ‘medical practice’ or ‘health centre’ the database will search for all GP surgeries with those words. So avoid entering excess words like ‘medical practice’, ‘road’ or 'surgery' as this can lead to multiple search results being presented and the database only presents the first 25 results. So if your GP surgery is called Wallingford Medical Practice, just enter the search term 'Wallingford'. Or if your GP surgery is Grove Green Medical Centre, it may be best to just enter the search term 'Grove'.

In some areas more than one provider is commissioned to provide IAPT services, so if you’re presented with more than one IAPT provider, you can choose which one to refer yourself to.

Unfortunately, the NHS database can sometimes show services you are not eligible for, this is a problem that OCD-UK have raised with NHS England are will continue to address. If you’re unsure about which service you need to refer yourself to, check out the presented IAPT service webpages for information on what areas of the country they cover or if you’re still unsure consult your GP for advice. If you're still unsure then you are welcome to email support@ocduk.org for advice (please be sure to include the name and postcode of your GP surgery).

  • Tip
    You can also choose an IAPT service outside your home region. For example, if you live in Surrey but work in London you can can request treatment from the IAPT service closer to work.

If you prefer to access a service outside of your home region you are not able to self-refer and should discuss this with your GP to implement your ‘Right to Choose’.

 

What to read next:

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies