What are NHS Talking Therapies?
In this article we will describe what are NHS Talking Therapies
- The NHS Talking Therapies (formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, IAPT) was developed to improve the delivery of, and access to, evidence-based, NICE recommended, psychological therapies for depression, anxiety and other mental health problems within the NHS
- From small beginnings in 2008, the programme has steadily grown so that nearly 1.2 million people were able to access services in 2021/22. This expansion was the result of training and deploying thousands of new psychological therapists and practitioners, as well as providing additional training modules for existing therapists
- Details of local NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression services are available on the nhs.uk website: Find an NHS psychological therapies service
- For more information on how the services work, please see the NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression manual.
Who are NHS Talking Therapies for?
NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression services provide NICE recommended psychological interventions for adults and older adults with anxiety disorders and/or depression.
This can be standalone or in the context of a long term physical health condition where this can be managed effectively in a uni-professional service. Evidence-based therapies are delivered by trained clinicians, with or without concurrent pharmacological treatment.
NHS Talking Therapies provides treatment for people with the following common mental health problems:
Mainly for
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Depression
- Life problems
Also for
- Hypochondriasis
- Agoraphobia
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Phobias (such as heights, flying, spiders etc.).
In addition to evidence-based talking therapies for the common mental health problems listed above, NHS Talking Therapies, also provide employment advice in many areas of England, to support people to reach their employment goals.
How are NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression services accessed?
Referral pathways have been specifically developed to promote access and equality. They include:
- You can refer yourself to the service (self-referral) – find an NHS psychological therapies service – www.nhs.uk)
- Community or voluntary service referral
- Primary care referral (from your GP)
- Secondary care referral (from hospital doctors, nurses and other health professionals – including both mental health and physical health care services.
Summary
In this article we have described what are NHS Talking Therapies. We hope it has been helpful.
Other resources
What is an NHS IAPT?
What can an IAPT help with?
This is an example of a regional TT service. Its for Coventry and Warwickshire.
Last Reviewed on 2 July 2024