Background: The context for this paper is current UK policy emphasis on both `partnership' and `user involvement' and discussion on the system of Care Programme Approach (CPA). Aims: To investigate whether increasing co-ordination of care at a structural level is associated with greater user involvement. Method: Social survey techniques were adapted in order to be user-focused and the work was prepared and carried out by service users. Results: Service users tend to be unaware of the major way in which their care is co-ordinated but even less involved in it. On the rare occasions that service users are involved in their care and other elements of empowerment are in place, they are more satisfied overall with the services they receive. Conclusion: Increasing co-ordination of care at a managerial level does not necessarily lead to greater awareness or involvement amongst individual users of CPA. This may be linked to the way service users are perceived by their mental health workers and it is argued that this should change if users are to be full `partners'. Declaration of interest: None