Research & Publications
Research
TalkingSpace Plus is routinely involved in service level and national research and audits, and locally we have a close and collaborative working relationships with the Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (OxCADAT).
In 2019 our research lead was voted Outstanding Primary Investigator by the NICHR Thames Valley which represents our positive and active involvement in all things research.
At present our research lead is implementing a new safeguarding process as an innovation, to improve the reporting and implementation of learning arising from safeguarding consultations. In addition to local research and audit, TalkingSpace Plus is involved in the following research:
- Health Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder treatment: digital adaptations with Professor Paul Salkovskis et al – Oxford University
- Collaboration with the Oxford Academic Health Science Network for Depression and Anxiety led by Professor David Clarke – a feasibility study considering the efficacy of the IAPT blended model
- Employment Support and the potential augmentation effect with clinical work in collaboration with the Oxford Academic Health Science Network for Depression and Anxiety.
In addition to these more formal projects TalkingSpace Plus also support Clinical Psychology Doctoral candidates with their research and carry out our own Audit and research on an ongoing basis
Evaluation of the online delivery of individual Step 3 therapy in the Oxford Talking Space Plus IAPT service during the Covid-19 pandemic and how best to inform the post-pandemic service model
At TalkingSpace Plus (TSP), we wanted to find out how the transition of moving from in-person to remote therapy (e.g.: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)) impacted on patient recovery rates. To investigate this, we analysed data from patients who finished CBT between either June 2019 to March 2020 (pre-pandemic; face-to-face therapy) or March 2020 to December 2020 (during pandemic; remote therapy).
Overall, more people accessed treatment during the remote period and recovery rates improved. In particular, recovery rates for females, working aged adults (aged 18 to 65 years) and those receiving treatment for depression improved significantly. For those receiving treatment for OCD, recovery rates were poorer during the remote period.
The findings suggest that, overall, the sudden transition to remote therapy within TSP was not detrimental to patient recovery rates. Due to this, remote delivery of therapy could form a substantial part of the TSP service model going forwards. This needs to be offered whilst also taking into account patient preference and digital exclusion. In addition, treatment for OCD should continue to be monitored to consider if the effect was due to the pandemic itself or remote delivery and thereafter, consideration could be given to prioritising this group of patients for in person work.
Our publications
- Elliot M, Salt H, Dent J, Stafford C, Schiza A. (2014). Heart2Heart: An integrated approach to cardiac rehabilitation and CBT. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing 9 (10): 338-394 – To read click here
- Thew, G. R. (2020). IAPT and the internet: the current and future role of therapist-guided internet interventions within routine care settings. The cognitive behaviour therapist 13. – To read click here
Browne, N., Carragher, N., O’Toole, A., Pimm, J., Ryder, J., & Thew, G. (2022). Evaluating user experiences of SHaRON: An online CBT-based peer support platform. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 15, E18. doi:10.1017/S1754470X22000150 – To read click here
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