Dr Gina Palumbo, chair of the East Riding CCG said: “We recognise how important it is for people in distress to gain swift access to specialist support and we have been working hard for some time to increase local availability and improve access.
“We are confident that these new services and wide range of providers will help to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in the East Riding.
“They will also help us meet our commitment to supporting vulnerable people with mental health issues to remain healthy and independent.”
Talking therapy services are aimed at supporting people who have moderate depression, stress or anxiety. Patients are referred by their GP and after an assessment will be offered a choice of treatment, which includes text-based cognitive behavioural therapy with PsychologyOnline.
With PsychologyOnline it is possible to have therapy with an experienced psychotherapist using instant messaging, so there is no requirement to make an appointment to meet the therapist face-to-face. Therapy sessions can be arranged at a time to suit the patient, including evenings and weekends, and all that is required is a mobile phone, tablet or computer and an internet connection.
PsychologyOnline is particularly beneficial for patients who find leaving the home difficult, for those who are working and don’t want to take time off work, or for those who don’t wish for others to know they are having therapy.
The treatment is also very effective. Barnaby Perks, chief executive of PsychologyOnline, comments that in clinical trials, the benefits of text-based CBT were found to be sustained:
“CBT works by changing the way we think and feel about problems. The process of answering questions through writing is very effective for retraining the brain.
“Research has shown that patients using text-based CBT are more honest about their feelings, which helps a quicker and more sustained recovery. As a result we have had recovery rates of more than 60% within 40% fewer sessions than would be expected from traditional face-to-face talking therapy.”
Patients in the East Riding who are already on the waiting list are being prioritised for treatment.
For those in other parts of the country who are unable to access text-based therapy on the NHS, PsychologyOnline offers its Thinkwell service which does not require a GP referral.
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East Riding selects PsychologyOnline to improve access to 'talking therapies’
8 September 2014
The East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has just announced that it has begun offering PsychologyOnline within its new portfolio of ‘talking therapies'. The move is to provide patients with better access to therapy and more choice of treatment.