Joining up mental health care for children and young people
Mental health
4 April 2023
By Helen
Mayden hosted a Digital Showcase event for Children and Young People’s (CYP) Mental Health services. Our goal was to explore how digital technology enables early access to support for CYP. Additionally, we identified how tech supports the continuity and quality of care.
It was a pleasure to meet people from services at NHS Trusts, Local Authorities and charities from across the country. Also, those interested in how digital options can be offered as part of mental health care pathways for CYP.
Who were the speakers and what did they talk about?
Lauren Fensome and Matt Williams, Oxford AHSN
Firstly, Lauren Fensome and Matt Williams of Oxford AHSN talked about their work with commissioners and providers. They are working to scope digital offers that are being adopted by NHS services at various points in their pathway. Furthermore, they described how their clinical engagement sessions explored where in the CYP mental health care pathway the need is greatest for digital solutions and some of the barriers to adopting them. The collaborative process was found to be helpful, revealing that digital health product developers are eager to engage with health services. Furthermore, adoption is most successful when supported by both clinical and digital champions within those services. Consequently, the report they published brings together key details on the range of options, helping to support commissioning decisions.
Cathy Creswell, TOPIC Research Group, University of Oxford
Cathy Creswell of the TOPIC Research Group at University of Oxford presented about TOPIC’s research into the prevention and treatment of anxiety in children. Furthermore, she shared research evidence for the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents and for brief guided parent-delivered CBT. She outlined the co-design of the Online Support Intervention for Child Anxiety (OSI) programme and how the OSI online platform offers therapist-supported content for parents.
Chris Eldridge, Mayden
Chris Eldridge of Mayden talked about our mission to create digital technology that changes what’s possible for clinicians and patients. Moreover, our iaptus digital care record offers case management and digital tools for community CYPMH services. The software includes a host of features to support teams to manage their services well. It also captures data on activity and outcomes to inform clinical practice and service improvement. Chris emphasised the importance of interoperability between clinical systems and the range of evidence-based digital solutions available. For example, digital therapies and mental health apps.
Helen McGlinchey, Northpoint and Doug Hiscock, SilverCloud
Helen McGlinchey of Northpoint and Doug Hiscock of SilverCloud talked about their collaboration to develop online therapy support programmes for young people. As a result, online interventions by SilverCloud are now offered by Northpoint, a charity in Yorkshire. This is for the benefit of young people in Northpoint’s schools and CAMHS services. The interventions are designed to support young people, parents and carers and they have become established within Northpoint’s service model. Finally, Helen outlined suitability criteria for clients and how Northpoint use iaptus to make referrals to SilverCloud interventions and monitor progress.
Emma Taylor, Wysa
Emma Taylor of Wysa presented about the use of AI technology in pathways of support for children and young people. Findings of a recent Wysa UK youth mental health report show that in the face of growing demand for services, teenagers are often not getting the support they need at the right time and they are turning to online sources of information and support. Emma described how Wysa with HFEH Mind are offering a mental health app in their support pathway. Teenagers in West London schools can now access interactive, AI-guided, mental health support. Additionally, the clinically validated app is offered alongside the usual pathway for talking therapy.
Sheila Ross, Positive Rewards
Sheila Ross, CEO of Positive Rewards, talked about their Feeling Good app, Feeling Good Teens app and the Feeling Good for Schools programme which is co-produced with their sister charity, There was an evaluation of Feeling Good for Schools over two years. It examined the use of the six-week wellbeing and resilience programme in schools in Scotland and England. Finally, Sheila described a range of benefits and improved outcomes for pupils and particular benefits for children in the school transition years, for those starting secondary school.
What are the next steps?
We recognise the need for interoperability between clinical systems and the range of evidence-based digital solutions available. Additionally, this includes digital therapies and mental health apps.
We’re committed to offering digital care pathways for services and joining up digital tools to support continuity and quality of care. Moreover, we offer interoperability between iaptus CYP and several digital therapy platforms. Therefore, this is why we were so pleased to bring together some of these partners at the Digital Showcase.