Talking Therapies Digital 2023: Expanding Access

Talking Therapies Digital 2023: Expanding Access
Online Forum
Thu 19 Oct 2023

Bringing Talking Therapy professionals from across the country together to get up to speed with the latest developments in digital therapies, this online event equipped attendees with the practical strategies to develop their services digital pathways, to overcome digital poverty, meet targets and widen service engagement, without adding to pre-existing pressures.

With thanks to our conference sponsors:


Successfully incorporating digital tools and implementing innovative national developments, locally

This free to attend online event inspired attendees with cutting edge research and practical ideas from services who are already achieving digital integration. 

Over 120 people registered for this interactive, national conference which specifically focused on:

  • How digital innovation is researched, tested and trialled within universities
  • Benchmarking digital tools
  • Investigating therapist-assisted digital cognitive therapy for Prolonged Grief Disorder (ICT- PG)
  • How to plan for the future of digital interventions
  • Raising your concerns and ask your questions to industry providers
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of digital based therapies for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
  • Exploring how services can support communities experiencing technological scarcity
  • Feeding back directly to industry providers to ensure they are providing exactly what is needed
  • How digital tools translate into meaningful practice
  • Investigate the challenges and successes of digital therapies 

With thanks to our industry partners

SBK Healthcare would like to thank ieso and Limbic for sponsoring this unique interactive forum.

8:50
Join, tech support and opportunity to network in breakout rooms
  • Who are you, where are you from and what would you like to take away from the day?
  • Share your experiences and challenges of supporting patients with therapeutic technology
9:20
Introduction, instructions and shared experiences of digital utilisation
Mona Stylianou, Principal Clinical Lead, Everyturn Mental Health Talking Therapies
National Update
9:30
Digital enablers across the NHS Talking Therapies pathway
  • The national picture: understanding how digital solutions are being used in services pre, during and post pandemic
  • Digital pathway guidance: investigating what effective digital deployment looks like across the patient pathway
  • Exploring the national approach to enabling digital tools: selecting and evaluating digital tools
Rachel Heggart, NHS Talking Therapies Programme Manager, NHS England
9:55
Questions and answers with Rachel Heggart
10:05
Case study: Investigating therapist-assisted digital cognitive therapy for Prolonged Grief Disorder
  • New therapist-assisted digital treatment for Prolonged Grief
  • Case report: Recovery of a bereaved parent who suffered PGD for over 20 years
Kirsten Smith, MRC Clinical Scientist Fellow and Clinical Psychologist, University of Oxford
Delivering innovation
10:30
Healthcare Economics: The importance of waiting time and clinical effectiveness in mental healthcare
Andrew Welchman, EVP Impact and Corporate Development, ieso and Morad Margoum, Deputy Service Director of CYPF, MH & LD, Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
10:40
Demonstrating clinical applications of Limbic
Chaellene Davidson, Director of Customer Success – Limbic with Hannah Pione, Digital Service Lead (SE&NE Essex), Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
10:50
Questions and answers with your speakers
11:05
Opportunity to meet exhibitors in breakout rooms
11:15
Screen break
11:25
Interactive discussion: Shared first-hand experiences of digitally enabling your clinical pathway
  • What steps has your service taken to activate digital tools?
  • What are you looking to achieve with digital interventions? Are there any barriers to implementation?
  • What experiences does your service have of digital innovation?
11:40
Feedback from interactive discussion: Shared first-hand experiences of innovating your clinical pathway
Improving outcomes for Social Anxiety Disorders
11:50
Evaluating therapist-guided internet-based treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Graham Thew, Senior Academic Clinical Psychologist (Digital Precision Psychological Treatments), Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Reaching the digitally excluded
12:15
Case study: Supporting asylum seekers through the provision of digital technology
  • How ‘KOMPS’ improved access for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
  • What did implementation look like for our service? Exploring the journey so far
  • Overcoming language and cultural barriers to meet the needs of your community
Heather Edwards, Business Support Manager and Sarah Watts, Clinical Lead, Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Wellbeing Service
12:40
Questions and answers with your speakers
12:50
Chair’s closing remarks
1:00
Close of day
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Mona Stylianou

Principal Clinical Lead
Everyturn Mental Health Talking Therapies
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Rachel Heggart

NHS Talking Therapies Programme Manager
NHS England
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Morad Margoum

Deputy Service Director of CYPF, MH & LD
Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
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Graham Thew

Senior Academic Clinical Psychologist (Digital Precision Psychological Treatments)
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Heather Edwards

Business Support Manager
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Wellbeing Service
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Sarah Watts

Clinical Lead
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Wellbeing Service
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Andrew Welchman

EVP Impact and Corporate Development
ieso Digital Health
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Kirsten Smith

MRC Clinical Scientist Fellow and Clinical Psychologist
University of Oxford

A successful morning dedicated to learning and networking

With over 120 Talking Therapy professionals registered, the networking and cross peer support was shared by everyone.

Here are just some comments from attendees on the day

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‘It was great to hear from so many different services and providers, and to hear what is happening in different IAPT services’
- NHS Berkshire Talking Therapies
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‘It was really nice hearing from a variety of different people and services, it gave a lot of insight into digital therapies’
- Westminster NHS Talking Therapies
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‘Really great session today. I'm always impressed by SBK events! Really slick and well put together. Well done all!’
- Herefordshire and Worcestershire Healthy Minds
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‘Very useful, innovative and inspiring session’
- Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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‘Just thank you for always organising such great events!’
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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‘Well presented with an excellent selection of experts!’
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Adding their unique perspectives, we were joined by our industry partners

Research and science is at the heart of ieso; we learn from our data to develop digital therapeutic products that focus on patient recovery. We deliver text-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for adults with depression and anxiety disorders. We have treated over 100,000 adults in the NHS and delivered over 580,00 therapy hours with excellent patient outcomes and experience.


Limbic is the first UKCA-marked clinical assessment support tool for IAPT. Across 21 services, Limbic consistently frees up staff time, reduces costs, and improves patient experience and accessibility. Find out more from our founder, Dr Ross Harper on ross@limbic.ai.

Why sponsor at an NNF event

We believe in knowing our customers and working with them in tandem to create strategic and well-conceived solutions that provide all the necessary sales and marketing levers to achieve their objectives and deliver the required level of engagement across the event. It is widely accepted that sponsorship provides a great means of broadening your competitive edge by improving your company’s image, prestige and credibility. Aside from enhancing visibility and image it provides a level playing field.

Reach out today

If you would like more information on our sponsorship options an in-house forum or if you wish to discuss your needs and what solutions may be appropriate for your business, please contact:

Sarah Kemm

Contact: 01732 897788

Email: sarah.kemm@sbk-healthcare.co.uk