Kooth has collaborated with myGP to enable the app to self-refer patients to its digital mental health platform.
The collaboration means that NHS patients using iPlato’s myGP app will gain better access to mental health services and reduce waiting times, while reducing pressure on GP services.
Through the myGP app, users will be able to book one-on-one sessions with counselors, as well as allow users to access peer-to-peer support in discussion forums. Additionally, users can customize their own mental health support with tools like an online journal and interactive goal tracker. Patients can self-refer 24 hours a day, seven days a week, removing one of the barriers that can hinder access to mental health support.
The partnership is currently being trialed in 12 regions of England with plans to roll it out further later this year.
Tim Barker, CEO of Kooth, said: “Early intervention and access to support are crucial in helping to prevent mental health problems from spiraling out of control and can have a significant positive impact on the course of mental illness. Kooth helps remove traditional barriers to care by providing immediate access to effective and confidential support.”
Kooth’s digital platform offers proactive and preventative mental health services that can be accessed from any internet-connected device. It is also the only digital mental health provider to hold UK-wide accreditation from the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy.
Barker continued: “There is no single solution to mental health treatment, and what works for one person may not work for another. By partnering with iPlato and offering different therapeutic approaches, Kooth can be tailored to meet the needs of each myGP app user. And because it is a self-referral tool, it not only streamlines the mental health referral process and increases patient autonomy, it will also take pressure off GPs and other healthcare professionals.”
Tobias Alpsten, CEO of myGP, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with such a reputable provider of mental health services; Giving our clients the opportunity to get the care they need when they need it, while giving our NHS partners a small amount of breathing room.”
last year the The Kooth platform was extended to all the North West London boroughs to support mental health services for children and young adults.
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