Eight digital therapies for treating mental health have been conditionally recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care and Excellence (NICE).

A consultation on the decision has began for the therapies which address depression and anxiety disorders, including PTSD and body dysmorphia.

Each of the digital technologies includes the support and involvement of NHS Talking Therapies clinician an use CBT technologies.

They therapies are the sixth and seventh early value assessments to have been undertaken using a new NICE rapid assessment process that seeks to identify promising medical technology for rapid deployment into the NHS.

Combined, the therapies have the potential to help more than 40,000 people.

One in six people report experiencing a common mental health problem such as anxiety and depression any given week in England, and according to NHS Digital the demand for talking therapies is high, with some people currently waiting up to six weeks to access help.

Mark Chapman, interim director of medical technology and digital evaluation, at NICE, said: “Developed using tried and tested CBT methods, each one has demonstrated it has the potential to provide effective treatment to the many thousands of people who live with these conditions.”

These digitally=enabled therapies, some of which are already in use, are conditionally recommended for use following a formal assessment with an NHS Talking Therapies therapist, as they may not be the right choice for everyone.

“We want these new treatment options to be available for people to use as quickly as possible and we also want to make sure they are clinically effective and represent good value for the NHS. The additional evidence collected during this period will help us do that,” Chapman added.

Digital therapies offer an alternative way for people to access help in a way that may be more suited to their personal needs by offering flexibility around both time and location of treatment.

The medical technology advisory committee heard from clinical and patient experts as part of their consideration of the evidence for the eight technologies. The evidence included the positive impact of CBT on these conditions and how these technologies can improve access.

Elizabeth Mullenger, lay specialist member on the NICE committees, said: “Digital technology could transform the experience of people living with mental illnesses. It can be incredibly isolating to be on a long waiting list for in-person treatment. You might know that help is coming, you just don’t know when.

“These technologies will allow us to be in charge of our treatment, gaining a sense of autonomy as we navigate our own journey towards positive mental health.”

For depression, the committee conditionally recommended the use of three online CBT programmes Beating the Blues, Deprexis, and Space from Depression (Silvercloud) as treatment options.

For anxiety, Beating the Blues and Space from Anxiety (SilverCloud) was approved.

For social anxiety disorder, iCT-SAD was conditionally recommended.

Perspectives was selected as a conditionally recommended technology for those with body dysmorphic disorder.

Those suffering with PTSD may be able to access iCT-PTSD and Spring.

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All of the digital offerings are conditionally recommended in conjunction with a specialist therapist.

Digitally enabled therapies in NHS Talking Therapies services must be delivered with practitioner or therapist support including regular monitoring and management of patient safety and progress.

The committee believes the use of these technologies could lead to more people with mental health conditions being seen in NHS Talking Therapies services as digitally enabled therapies may need less practitioner or therapist time for delivery than other psychological interventions.

Professor Stephen Pilling, specialist committee member and head of the clinical, educational and health psychology department at University College London, said: “I am pleased to welcome the committee’s recommendation on the digital therapies for adults with an anxiety disorder or depression. These interventions can make a major contribution to increasing access to and choice of evidence-based psychological interventions as set out in NICE guidelines.