Digital therapies for anxiety and depression recommended for NHS
By Susannah Hollywood
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended new digital treatment options for use by the NHS in the treatment of adults with depression and anxiety disorders.
The digitally-enabled services will provide cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques via an app or website, supported by an NHS Talking Therapies clinician.
Prior to starting treatment, individuals with anxiety disorder or depression will be assessed by a Clinician to gain a full understanding of their clinical needs and treatment preferences.
A risk assessment will also be carried out.
The clinician will then evaluate whether digital therapy is appropriate in each case.
During treatment using these digital services, a clinician will monitor progress and provide support.
This will include regular phone check-ins, evaluation of outcomes and encouragement to complete the full course of treatment.
The new digital services will require less contact time by trained therapists and so have the potential to reduce pressure on resources and allow faster access to treatment.
This could help to address unmet need in a field with high demand for services and significant wait times for treatment.
Digital therapy treatment for depression, for example, involves just 90 minutes of practitioner time for each service user, compared to 8 hours with face-to-face therapy.
The new services also offer the benefits of greater flexibility in when and where treatment can be accessed.
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Additionally, there may be an intrinsic appeal to some people for digital modalities over traditional, face-to-face therapy.
Digital services will not replace face-to-face therapy as the only treatment option in these conditions, it will be offered as an alternative.
It is acknowledged that some people may not have the equipment, internet access or skills to effectively access digital services.
Others may simply have a preference for therapy services delivered in person.
Individuals will have the opportunity to choose between the different options available that are deemed suitable for them following initial assessment.
Overall, nine new digital therapies for mental health (six for anxiety disorder and 3 for depression) are being rolled out by the NHS.
It is hoped that these services will be both clinically beneficial and cost-effective.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of these treatments in both these areas is ongoing by NICE, and future recommendations will reflect these findings.
