It's good to talk . . £3m plan offers therapy on the phone

Published on Tuesday 15 July 2008 22:06

SCOTS with mild anxiety and depression are to be given psychological help on the phone and online under plans being unveiled today.

The Scottish Government will outline a 3 million plan to test new methods of delivering cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – a talking therapy which helps people understand their emotions and develop ways to cope.

The pilot studies will be outlined at a meeting of more than 1,000 therapists gathering in Edinburgh this week.

The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), which has organised the conference, welcomed the CBT projects, which will be trialled over three years.

The Scottish Government has set a target to stop rising rates of antidepressant prescriptions in the coming years.

But access to alternative therapies for mild depression, such as CBT, can have waiting lists of more than a year on the NHS.

The new pilots will see patients in the Western Isles, Shetland, the Borders, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lothian being referred by their GP and offered telephone-based CBT and self-help techniques.

Qualified CBT therapists will help run the service through the NHS 24 helpline. There will also be other resources such as website with self-help tips and other advice.