New NHS-approved online therapies could help two to three times as many children and adults recover from anxiety and PTSD, research suggests.
One in five children and young people In England, you can be diagnosed with a mental disorder between the ages of 8 and 25. One in four adults In England, at least one diagnosable mental health problem is experienced every year, according to NHS England.
But with long mental health waiting lists, increasing demand and some patients finding it difficult to attend face-to-face appointments, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence last year early value assessment recommended a range of online therapies for use across the NHS.
From September, the University of Oxford will roll out four internet-based treatments developed in NHS healthcare centres, mental health centres, schools and universities. More than 20 areas have already signed up, including West Sussex, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire, Manchester, North Tyneside and London.
Koa Health has been licensed by Oxford University to provide four online therapies, consisting of separate online programs for adults, adolescents and children aged five to 12 with social anxiety, and for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
For adolescent and adult treatments, patients work through a series of online modules with 20- to 30-minute phone or video appointments with their therapist. Therapies are accessible 24/7, and the content has been designed to replicate what would be received in face-to-face therapy, and is highly personalized. For children, the program involves training parents and guardians to provide the treatment at home, with the support of a therapist.
Studies have shown the impact of all four online platforms. randomized controlled trial A study of Internet-based cognitive therapy for adults with social anxiety disorder found that patients recovered just as well as those receiving in-person treatment, but instead of requiring 19 hours of a doctor’s time, it only took 6.5 hours. teenage version A study of online therapy for social anxiety found that 77% of youth were no longer socially anxious at the end of treatment.
“It’s a pretty big achievement,” said David Clark, professor of experimental psychology at Oxford University, “because for social anxiety, psychological treatments like general cognitive behavioral therapy are the least effective.
“Our calculation is that if NHS therapists could use these programmes and support people through them, then they could help Two to three times the number of patients recover from “Social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Professor Anke Ehlers, a psychologist at the University of Oxford who led the work on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), said: “We have tested digital therapy with patients suffering from PTSD from a wide range of traumas. The recovery rates and improvements in quality of life are excellent.” Patients appreciate being able to receive their therapy from home at a time that suits them, she added.
Kerry McLeod, Mind’s content director, welcomed the expansion of online treatment but stressed it was important patients were able to choose what was best for them. She said: “We support the development of new digital therapies and welcome talking therapies that are more accessible to those for whom face-to-face treatment may prove more challenging.
“Some people will find face-to-face therapies to be a more beneficial source of support, so it is vital that people living with mental health problems are able to choose the type of treatment they receive.”
An NHS spokesperson said: “Hundreds of thousands of these online therapies are offered every year to patients who need mental health care alongside the support of a therapist.
“The NHS recognises that more needs to be done to ensure more patients can access timely mental health care and, where clinically appropriate and in line with Nice guidance, the use of digital tools can help people who need this vital support.”