Hi there,

Well, the team has been so busy with the study we have not had the time to give any updates and here we are near the end. So what has happened?

As planned, we recruited six sites to take part in the study, two in Wales and four in England. We have had great help from various managers, clinicians, service users, carers, clinical studies officers, research nurses and the like. Without them the study would not have been possible so many thanks.

There have been many challenges along the way, as there inevitably are with research. In some places recruitment was harder than in others. At times we struggled to get enough care coordinators, at others it was service users. But eventually with great determination and perseverance we have managed to collect just about all of the data we hoped for.

Overall, we have collated over 650 questionnaires and conducted around 130 interviews. Care plans have been reviewed, policy documents collected and research literature has been searched and critiqued.

Now, the team are all working hard cleaning data, checking transcripts and undertaking extensive quantitative and qualitative data analysis, using SPSS and QSR NVivo10 software and Framework method to synthesis data and help us make sense of everything.

The draft final report will be sent to the commissioners before Christmas and then be subject to a process of peer review and refinement before being published sometime in 2015. A number of journal papers will follow.

Meanwhile, NIHR Health Services and Health Research have generously agreed to commission a second study where we will investigate recovery-focused care planning in acute inpatient mental health services. Preparations are underway and as soon as we have obtained ethical approval, the study will begin. We will report more on that soon.

Massive thanks to everyone that has helped us with the COCAPP study. It really is appreciated.

Best wishes,

Alan Simpson