Camden and Islington NHS Talking Therapies provides short-term psychological interventions for common mental health issues including depression and anxiety, and adapted therapy options for people living with long-term physical health conditions (LTC) or persistent physical symptoms. The mainly CBT-based therapies are goal-focused and recommended by NICE, with additional therapy types available where appropriate.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• Adults >17.5 years old
  • with common mental health problems including:
    • depression
    • agoraphobia Please note: the service is unable to offer home visits so if someone has not been able to leave the house for a significant period of time, they may be more suited to secondary care services. 
    • social phobia
    • specific phobia
    • panic disorder recurrent panic attacks with no discernible trigger (unpredictable).
    • generalised anxiety disorder
    • obsessive compulsive disorder
    • body dysmorphic disorder
    • illness anxiety
    • primary insomnia
    • post-traumatic stress disorder (excluding complex PTSD - trauma relating to multiple events).
  • with long-term physical health conditions or persistent physical symptoms
  • with insomnia
• who want to access time-limited, structured psychological interventions*
• registered with a Camden or Islington GP, or living in those boroughs and not registered with a GP (they will be encouraged to register)
• working in health or social care within north central London.

* If you have any questions about suitability for the NLFT NHS Talking Therapies service, seek advice from the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner or Psychological Therapist linked to your practice. If you do not know the clinician in your practice, you can contact the service.

Exclusions

• Children <17.5 years old
• adults presenting with serious mental health problems (not anxiety or depression), and other specialist or complex difficulties*): 
  • psychosis
  • bipolar disorder (except if currently depressed with no recent mood elevation, and looking for psychological therapy for depression)
  • problems related to a personality disorder or people who have significant interpersonal difficulties
  • significant alcohol or drug use
  • eating disorder
  • anger management (that is not secondary to anxiety or depression)
  • moderate-severe learning disability.
• adults with active suicidal risk or risk to others.
• adults who require secondary (specialist) mental health care with complex and/or risky mental health problems requiring a multidisciplinary team approach. This includes people who will not engage with secondary care or who are yet to be seen.
• adults who have had several unsuccessful attempts at treatment with Talking Therapies (it is often helpful for us to have a clinical discussion with you about these patients).
• adults whose primary request is for diagnosis or medication, or who are not wanting or able to work psychologically.

* Where an adult has complex needs and there is any uncertainty about suitability, consult Camden primary care mental health network or Islington practice-based mental health service for advice.They can liaise with NLFT NHS Talking Therapies if necessary.

How to Refer