In 2022 NHS mental healthcare in England has a waiting list of 1.6 million people. A further eight million people with psychiatric disorders are unable to access waiting lists because their conditions are not deemed sufficiently severe.
Closing this gap is an urgent priority and digital therapies have a vital role to play in this.
Digital therapies are software-based therapies that can be offered as blended or standalone therapies, replacing time-intensive treatments. They can enhance existing therapeutic methods and they also help standardise the delivery of interventions.
Our theme in digital therapies is accelerating the development, precision of, and implementation of evidence-based novel digital therapeutics to treat mental health conditions and enhance well-being in people with long term conditions It will advance and trial innovative digital therapies that are based on theory and testing mechanisms of action, whilst accelerating the pace of development and impact by building industry partnerships.
We aim to maximise patient benefit via a ‘living lab’ that will speed up co-designed development of digital therapies from proof-of-concept, early-stage trials to digital enhancements, and regulatory approval.
Our theme also plans to maximise later effectiveness and uptake. This will be done through reducing the digital divide by working alongside under-represented groups and developing and enhancing products to ensure they are acceptable to a diverse range of users.
Theme Lead
Professor of Psychology as Applied to Medicine; Head of the Department of Psychology, King's IoPPN
Deputy Theme Lead
Professor of Cognitive and Clinical Psychology, King's IoPPN; Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist, South London and Maudsley
Stories of Research
Discover how our research is making a difference to people’s lives, today and tomorrow.
Online CBT for irritable bowel syndrome
Individualised cognitive behavioural therapy approach is one of only a few digital therapies approved by NICE.
Treating distress in chronic conditions
Using digital therapy to address distress caused by long-term physical health conditions.
App to help the sleep of children with epilepsy
The CASTLE Online Sleep Intervention is an inclusive and personalised app designed by children and parents.
Digital approach to reduce anxiety and depression
Learning Effective New Strategies (LENS) is a digital therapy which tackles intepretation bias.
