Funded by Partners above

MAnagement of mental health diSorders

Through advancEd technology and seRvices –

telehealth for the MIND

BenefitsMastermind can provide many benefits for both patients and clinicians, with key ones including:

• Improved flexibility and access to psychological therapies expanding patient choice.

• Increased suitability for patients who do not like the idea of talking therapies and would be more comfortable doing a computerised treatment.

• Provides anonymity for patients in small communities who are often put off by the potential embarrassment of being seen by someone they know in a talking therapies setting. Computerised CBT can be done from home.

For further information on Mastermind, please contact Pamela Rennie at:

pamela.rennie@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk

Telehealth & Telecare

Mastermind is a European Commission

programme which will provide computerised

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for patients in

Scotland with mild to moderate depression

and/or anxiety as part of a wider study

on the implementation of computerised

CBT at scale. Mastermind - Management of Mental Health Disorders Through Advanced Technology and Services- aims to implement at scale evidence-based computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (cCBT) services for depressed adults across a number of EU and associated countries, and from this implementation:

• Identify the barriers and success factors to implement cCBT on a large scale in different political, social, economic and technical health care contexts and from the perspective of different stakeholders such as patients and health care professionals.

• Recommend successful strategies for implementing cCBT in these different contexts and settings.

NHS 24 will programme manage Mastermind in Scotland. It will run for three years, and will include a two year trial where cCBT will be offered to patients within the four participating health boards - NHS Shetland, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Fife and NHS Grampian.Face to face and telephone CBT has been used for many years to treat mild to moderate depression. Following positive clinical outcomes and patient feedback on the use of cCBT software, Mastermind will utilise the digital software package Beating the Blues. This product enables patients to receive treatment by working through an on-line package without the need of therapist input, although cCBT can be combined with face to face therapy as part of a blended approach.

Issues Patients with depression are often lacking in motivation due to their condition. Some patients opt out of talking therapies because they do not want to wait for them or do not want to travel large distances to get there. Some patients do not like the idea of having to talk to someone either face to face or by phone, as is the case with traditional CBT or CBT by telephone. Computerised CBT provides another option for clinicians in identifying appropriate treatments for their patients. Furthermore, there is an ever increasing demand for mental health services and access to psychological therapies could be improved by incorporating cCBT as another potential for treatment.

AimThe aim is to provide patients with more holistic and patient centred care while ensuring that they have access to high quality treatment in their immediate environment. Referrals will come from GPs, psychological and community mental health services. The product is useful for all adults with mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety who require a flexible treatment, that can be done from a range of locations, including from home, and at times that suit the user. The treatment will work in parallel with existing services both locally and nationally and offers patients more choice.