In the year since its initial introduction, an AI-powered digital referral assistant (chatbot) has been utilised for 30 percent of Talking Therapies referrals for anxiety and depression at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust.
The chatbot engages in conversation with individuals to capture referral information which is then automatically added to their patient record, reportedly reducing the need for “repetition” during clinical assessment. It has become the second most used referral route into the service, and the trust is looking to expand on this by introducing further features such as choice of language to support patient access.
An Everyday Mental Health (EMH) app was introduced simultaneously to offer those using the service more options to manage their mental health. Once an individual has been referred, they are prompted to download the app to access tailored support prior to clinical assessment, including weekly progress reports and “conversation-based interactions”. EMH also has the capacity to identify risk indicators and direct individuals to the right resources.
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership’s COO, Julie Frake-Harris, highlighted how the chatbot and EMH app have “helped streamline the referral process, reduce delays and provide early access to information and self-help resources, improving the options available for people seeking support”.
Sheri Ashton, head of service for NHS Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression, added: “The chatbot provides another option for people to start their referral process and receive interim support via the EMH app. This approach enables individuals to supply key information at their own pace and access resources while they wait for assessment.”
The trust’s Talking Therapies website offers multiple ways for those seeking support to access services, including through the referral assistant, online referral form, and telephone. When selecting the referral assistant option, a webpage explains how the chatbot works. “This is an AI-based “emotionally intelligent” app that responds to the emotions you express,” it states. “It uses evidence-based cognitive-behavioural techniques, dialectical behaviour therapy, meditation, breathing, yoga, motivational interviewing and micro-actions to help you build mental resilience skills and feel better.”
Wider trend: Digital and AI in mental health
Sheffield Children’s NHS FT has opened a market engagement exercise with the intention to explore the options available for supplying online mental health services for children. The trust is now welcoming input on the draft specification for an external, digital provider of children’s mental health services, with the aim to “better understand the current market landscape and identify potential providers”. Constructive feedback will also be used to shape the trust’s future procurement approach and refine the requirements.
Innovate UK is granting £3.6 million to supplier-led projects delivering digital therapeutic solutions for mental health, focusing on extended reality (XR) tech such as virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and haptics. The Mindset XR for digital mental health programme is offering funding to 17 projects in total, that address conditions spanning ADHD, autism, generalised anxiety disorder, and PTSD, with the aim of treating more people, including those in remote or underserved areas.
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust have introduced a new brain scanner with AI integration as part of a research initiative with Kent and Medway Medical School and Canterbury Christ Church University. The aim of the initiative is to gain a better understanding of mental health conditions and dementia, in hopes of achieving “one of the biggest changes in decades to the way dementia assessments are conducted”.
