Robots to treat 40,000 depression patients in bid to clear NHS health backlog
Thousands of mental health patients could find themselves talking about their problems to an online robot instead of a pers.
There are some concerns over the nature of the therapy - patients will talk to an app instead of a medical professional - though others welcomed the technology amid the NHS' huge backlog.
Around 40,000 people suffering from conditions like PTSD, depression, anxiety and body dysmorphic disorder could be referred to virtual therapy. under new NHS guidelines, progress on the apps will be monitored by professionals.
Dr Dean Burnett, Honorary Research Associate at Cardiff University, warned that it may be too early to tell if online therapy can be as effective as in-person techniques and that it "would also depend heavily on the nature of the condition being treated."
Burnett argued that mild cases of depression or anxiety could benefit from online therapy, but that "more severe cases would be more responsive to in-person therapy."
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In-person therapy could be replaced by an app for thousands of patients (Getty Images/iStockphoto)However, he also conceded that "talking therapies are known to be of limited use with the more serious manifestations of disorders in any case."
He pointed out that people who experience episodes of depression can find it difficult to manage in-person therapy and that the simplicity of logging onto an app instead could be a benefit.
British Psychological Society’s Division of Clinical Psychology chair Dr Roman Raczka welcomed the digital therapy service, but emphasised it needs to coincide with "practitioner or therapist support to monitor patient safety and manage progress."
There are currently well over 1.2million people on waiting lists for community-based mental health services after referrals for talking therapies, according to NHS data from 2021 to 2022.
Millions more are expected to not be seeking treatment for their own issues because of the huge backlog, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report.
Between 2016 and 2022, the mental health workforce reportedly grew by 22 per cent, but referrals increased by 44 per cent.
Some people in need of the service can currently wait around six weeks or more to access the help that they need.
Cognitive Psychopathology Professor Jenny Yiend, of King’s College London, said that "apps and other digital therapies won’t be right for everyone," but that "they could be really helpful for some patients."
Health watchdog National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved eight different courses.
NICE's depression and anxiety specialist argued that "digital technology could transform the experience of people living with mental illnesses."
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The relevant app has to be prescribed by a doctor and patients will undergo cognitive behavioural therapy aimed at teaching people to look at negative thoughts in a different way.
The courses, lasting eight to 12 weeks, are designed to replace "armchair conversations with a therapist" by asking people instead to complete them on their phone or laptop.
People will be shown pre-made videos and have access to an AI robot chat service.
Three modules on the service have known been recommended specifically for depression: 'Beating the Blues,' 'Deprexis' and 'Space from Depression.'
University of Oxford psychology Prefessor David M Clark added that "the internet is also a wonderful learning vehicle," but that "patients should be offered a choice between traditional and digitally enabled therapy."
The service will go through an initial trial, but is designed as a treatment option for doctors to use.
Some people in need of the service can currently wait around six weeks or more to access the help that they need.
Burnett added: "Overall, according to current data and what we know about how the brain works, such apps are unlikely to be as effective as in-person therapy, but that’s not the same as them being ineffective. They can still potentially be very helpful, just less so than an actual therapist."
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