General practitioners knowledge of and views on the care programme approach

In response to concerns raised by GPs and mental health professionals, a postal questionnaire was used to ascertain level of knowledge about and attitudes towards the care programme approach (CPA) among general practitioners in one sector of Nottingham. Less than one-third of GPs who replied had heard of the CPA. GPs did not rate the benefit of CPA reviews highly and did not feel that they would be able to spare sufficient time to attend all the reviews to which they would be invited. Other issues of practical concern such as car parking of the local teaching hospital and provision of expenses were raised. Methods of acquiring valuable information from GPs must be reconsidered.