RNS Number:7162O
Ultrasis PLC
26 February 2008
Press release 26th February 2008
Ultrasis plc
Oldham PCT takes pole position in BTB delivery
The first PCT in the country to implement NICE Guidance in full by agreeing
delivery of "Beating the Blues" for the next 3 years
Ultrasis plc, the provider of interactive healthcare and associated services, is
pleased to announce that Oldham Primary Care Trust ("PCT") has signed a three
year contract to provide its flagship product Beating the Blues ("BtB").
The three year agreement has a value in excess of £150,000, and means Oldham PCT
has commissioned sufficient capacity of the NICE approved treatment program for
depression to meet this binding obligation in full, through 100 per cent
compliance.
John Smith, Ultrasis' Executive Director, said: "This is a great example of how
the National Framework Agreement, negotiated on behalf of the Department of
Health by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency can benefit the commissioning
process and enable PCTs to get maximum benefit for their patients. This contract
clearly demonstrates the growing confidence of PCTs in commissioning Beating the
Blues to deliver improved access to psychological therapies."
- ends -
For further information please contact:
Ultrasis plc:
Nigel Brabbins, Chief Executive +44 (0) 20 7566 3900
nbrabbins@ultrasis.com www.ultrasis.com
JMFinn Capital Markets Ltd, NOMAD and Joint Broker
Geoff Nash +44 (0) 20 7600 1658
Media enquiries:
Capital MS&L
James Madsen +44 (0) 20 7307 5330
james.madsen@capitalmsl.com
Notes to editors:
About Ultrasis plc
Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT) is the psychological treatment of choice for
people suffering from anxiety and depression, but the cost of a course of face
to face treatment (£750) and the shortage of therapists has seriously hampered
provision, with waiting times in some areas stretching up to two years. NICE
clinical guidelines for depression and anxiety (published in Dec 2004)
emphasised the importance of this therapy and at the same time recommended that
sufferers from mild depression should not, initially, be given drugs and
self-help material, preferably based on CBT, should be offered.
Beating the Blues is an eight-week, web-based treatment programme for depression
based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Following a rigorous examination by the
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), "Beating the Blues
" was approved by NICE in February 2006 with a requirement that it be made
available across the NHS as an option for all people with mild and moderate
depression.
Guidance arising from NICE Health Technology Assessments is binding on the NHS
and, based on undertakings from ministers, implementation of guidance was
expected to be funded within twelve months of publication.
However, this timetable to implement was in effect extended by another year to
2007/8, when the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt, then the Secretary of State for Health,
at the MIND conference in March 2007 speaking approvingly of "Beating the Blues
", said: "Computer-based therapy for milder, but more common mental health
conditions such as depression and anxiety should be made available to any
patients in England who could benefit from it from April 2007," a deadline of
days, impossible to achieve.
This commitment was reiterated in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) of
November 2007, when the Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP, the new Secretary of State for
Health, announced the provision of another £170m for the Improving Access to
Psychological Therapies programme.
In defiance of declared government policy PCTs prove persistently slow to
implement. The ineffective response of senior staff in the DH and ministers is
to advise patients to complain. We do receive a steady and growing stream of
inquiries from members of the public asking why their GPs are not able to
provide BtB. Ultimately over 3 million people per year should benefit from
Beating the Blues(R) at costs a fraction of those for providing face to face
therapy or antidepressants
Beating the Blues(R), unlike many of the existing methods used to provide '
talking therapies', does not require years of expensive therapist training
before it can be deployed to patients, is available at times that suit the
patients' needs , can be increased in volume to meet demand and is based on the
principle of individual empowerment, enabling people to take more control of
their own health profile, reducing long term dependency on health systems.
Seven out of Ten patients suffering from depression who used Beating the Blues
(R) required no further treatment. Waiting lists for face to face therapy extend
to 18 months in some areas. Deployment of Beating the Blues(R) will cut these to
a matter of days and help deliver another of the government's major commitments,
the 18 week pathway.
Ultrasis was the first company to offer computerised products based on Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and interactive multimedia, and is the world leader in
the field. The products help people tackle stress, anxiety and depression, and a
full spectrum of related chronic conditions.
www.ultrasis.com
www.thewellnessshop.co.uk
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
CNTSEIFAISASEDE
|