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Improving Outcomes in Talking Therapies National Networking Forum

Improving Outcomes in Talking Therapies National Networking Forum
voco Sheffield, 5 CPD Hours
Tue 15 Sep 2026

Now in its 13th year, this practical training day equipped attendees with ready-to-use strategies, actionable insights and innovative approaches 

Designed for clinical leads, service managers, therapists, psychologists and transformation leads, this highly regarded annual educational forum provided an opportunity to network with peers and explore the latest direction from NHS England. Attendees also explored practical strategies for implementing AI and digital tools, better supporting neurodivergent clients, streamlining assessments while supporting staff wellbeing, and improving client engagement and therapy outcomes.

Symposium Sponsor:    

Sponsors:

             

How to improve your service

Enhancing knowledge with expert led, structured NHS learning 

By focusing on experience and practical takeaways, this dedicated and interactive day supported attendees to improve client pathways, and join peers from across the country to benchmark and explore how to: 

  • Improve patient retention and recovery rates through better assessments 
  • Reduce dropout rates and optimise client pathways 
  • Adapt therapy to meet neurodiverse client needs 
  • Streamline assessments and reduce waiting times 
  • Manage caseloads and prevent staff burnout 
  • Engage and retain younger clients effectively 
  • Implement AI and digital tools to improve outcomes 

Education designed to inspire

A day of networking, learning and innovation

With a comprehensive and engaging agenda, interactive discussions and dedicated networking time, participants had the opportunity to: 

  • Benchmark your approach nationally: understand how other services are meeting targets, offering support for staff, and managing caseloads
  • Engage in valuable peer discussions: share ideas on improving accessibility, meeting client needs and expectations
  • Advance your knowledge: gain insight on what digital tools are available, and how to best implement them into your service
  • Enhance your service: hear from experts on how to optimise different therapy approaches and successfully retain clients to improve outcomes

Meet your symposium sponsor

SBK Healthcare were pleased to welcome Psychology Tools as the symposium sponsor at this educational forum. 

Sponsors

SBK Healthcare would also like to thank sponsors Mindler, SilverCloud and Limbic for supporting this unique forum.

8:30
Registration and networking opportunity
9:00
Welcome, introduction and chair’s opening remarks
Stephen Skinner, Service Development Lead, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
NHS England update
9:10
Clues from the national data about how to improve recovery rates
  • Enhancing the initial assessment to generate hope and ensure people receive the right treatment first time
  • Practical tools for reducing drop-outs
  • Choosing the right measures and enhancing supervision
  • Expanding the workforce
Dr David Clark, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of Oxford and Co-Chair of NHS Talking Therapies Expert Advisory Group
9:35
Questions and answers with your speaker
Implementing AI and digital tools
9:45
How to effectively incorporate AI and digital tools, and elevate your service
  • Integrating AI and digital tools into your service to maximise therapeutic time
  • Evaluating the impact of AI and digital tools
  • Case study: Exploring the PAT (Pathway Alignment Tool)
Paul Evetts, Head of Performance, Performance and Analytics, Everyturn Mental Health
10:10
Questions and answers with your speaker
10:20
Service, not software: an implementation playbook for AI in Talking Therapies
Kathleen Henrick, General Manager (UK), Limbic
10:30
Exploring how SilverCloud can provide reliable, robust support for your Talking Therapies service
Douglas Hiscock, Senior Product Manager, SilverCloud
10:40
Questions and answers with your speakers
10:50
Networking and refreshment break
11:10
Interactive discussion: Implementing AI and digital tools in your NHS Talking Therapy service
  • What AI and digital tools are you currently using to support both your clients and your staff? What has worked well and what hasn’t?
  • What challenges have you faced in implementing digital tools (e.g. staff adoption, training, capacity or client accessibility)?
  • What tools or approaches are you looking to introduce in the future to improve both service efficiency and client support?
Innovations to improve efficiency
11:30
Facilitating efficient referrals and mitigating bottlenecks
  • Understanding the mechanics of patient flow and waitlists
  • Troubleshooting pathway issues to minimise wait time and maximise therapeutic effectiveness
  • Optimising capacity and demand modelling to identify and manage bottlenecks
Michael Watson, Elective Care and Waiting List Specialist, Formerly Mental Health Improvement Advisor, NHS England
11:55
Questions and answers with your speakers
12:05
Symposium Talk: Evidence based digital tools to add value during every stage of treatment
  • Identifying the key factors that optimise outcomes in CBT and the evidence supporting them
  • Understanding how digital innovations, such as Psychology Tools, can support each of these factors
  • Considering where digital tools sit within the four pillars of evidence-based practice
Professor Roz Shafran, Senior Scientific Advisor, Psychology Tools
12:30
Questions and answers with your speaker
12:40
Networking Lunch
Adapting to support neurodivergence
1:40
Upskilling your team to support neurodivergent clients in your service
  • Adapting clinical practice: meeting the clients' individual needs and improving therapeutic outcomes
  • Identifying and evidencing effective practice: ensuring your adapted practice reflects on your service
  • Exploring multidisciplinary work: community connectedness, employment support and long-term health conditions
Icarus Williams, High-Intensity Therapist, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
2:05
Questions and answers with your speaker
2:15
Interactive discussion: Optimising your service for neurodivergent clients
  • How does your service manage neurodivergent client expectations?
  • What therapeutic approaches are available in your service to support your neurodivergent clients?
  • What changes would you make to ensure you can better support your neurodivergent clients in the future?
Improving client engagement and therapy outcomes
2:35
Enhancing communication skills with clients aged 17-25 years to maximise therapeutic impact
  • How to adapt your communication and delivery style to align with young adult needs
  • Applying practical retention strategies through client-centred approaches
  • Understanding what young adult clients value in a talking therapy environment
Dipti Patel, Young Adult Pathway Lead, Kensington and Chelsea and Sophie Foster, Young Adult Peer Support worker, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
3:00
Questions and answers with your speakers
3:10
Networking and refreshment break
Improving workload, wellbeing and satisfaction
3:30
Staff wellbeing and preventing burnout in your service
  • Implementing practical steps using compassion-based approaches to mitigate staff burnout within your service
  • Case study: leading with compassion, from the Thames Valley Service 'Model NHS Talking Therapies Staff Wellbeing Strategy'
  • The importance of self-compassion and why we struggle with it in clinical services
Jenny Gravestock, Adviser for Thames Valley Wellbeing Strategy, Clinical Lead/Cognitive Behavioural and EMDR Psychotherapist, North Lincolnshire Community Mental Health and Talking Therapies
3:55
Questions and answers with your speakers
4:05
Interactive discussion: How to prevent burnout and successfully handle caseloads
  • What are the biggest pressure points in your current pathways or caseloads, and how are you addressing them?
  • What practical changes have you made to improve assessment efficiency or reduce waiting times? What impact have they had?
  • How are you balancing service targets with staff capacity and wellbeing?
  • What approaches have been most effective in reducing burnout and supporting staff retention in your service?
4:25
Chair’s closing remarks and close of day

Refreshing your approach

Chaired by Steve Skinner, Service Development Lead at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, this inspiring and practical day shared the latest updates, best practice and clear guidance on how to apply it. 

Steve Skinner

Pathway Development Lead
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Biography

Dr David Clark

Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of Oxford and Co-Chair of NHS Talking Therapies Expert Advisory Group
Biography

Dr Jenny Gravestock

Committee for Workplace Wellbeing Special Interest Group (BABCP), Cognitive Behavioural and EMDR Psychotherapist, Rotherham, Doncaster, and South Humber (RDASH) NHS Foundation Trust
North Lincolnshire Community Mental Health and Talking Therapies
Biography

Dipti Patel

Young Adult Pathway Lead
Kensington and Chelsea, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Biography

Icarus Williams

High-Intensity Therapist
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
Biography

Michael Watson

Elective Care and Waiting List Specialist, Formerly Mental Health Improvement Advisor, NHS England
Biography

Professor Roz Shafran

Senior Scientific Advisor
Psychology Tools
Biography

Paul Evetts

Head of Performance, Performance and Analytics
Everyturn Mental Health
Biography

Sophie Foster

Young Adult Peer Support worker
Kensington and Chelsea, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Biography

Who came?

This in-person conference was ideal for NHS professionals working closely in or with talking therapy services. Attendees included: 

  • Clinical leads 
  • Service managers/operational leads
  • PWP’s and senior level therapists
  • Mental health nurse specialists
  • Clinical supervisors 
  • Clinical psychologists
  • Counselling psychologists 
  • High intensity and CBT therapists 
  • Mental health practitioners 
  • Service transformation/improvement managers

Past attendee feedback

Delivering high-impact events for 13 years, this extensive range of talking therapies educational forums have received positive feedback from past attendees, who learn from both expert speakers, and each other with interactive discussions and dedicated networking time. This is what they have to say: 

“Great events, informative with diverse topics”
- Making Space Charity, Warrington, Developments and Innovations in Talking Therapies National Networking Forum, September 2025
“Very good update – some new ideas, mainly affirming that we are doing some really valuable work. Good to speak to other services and hear they have the same challenges”
- Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust, Developments and Innovations in Talking Therapies National Networking Forum, September 2025
“It has been brilliant. Very inspirational, informative and interesting”
- Talk Plus, North Hampshire Urgent Care, Developments and Innovations in Talking Therapies National Networking Forum, September 2025
“Very expertly facilitated, and a good mixture between talking and listening”
- Impact on Teesside, Talking Therapies Digital Tools: Expanding Access, October 2023
“Had a very informative day and really enjoyed the reflection. Also, meeting with such a variety of professionals has been really valuable”
- VitaMinds, Talking Therapies Best Practice Networking Conference, April 2023

Symposium sponsor

Psychology Tools is a global resource trusted by mental health professionals, offering evidence-based tools across a wide range of therapeutic approaches and conditions.

Sponsors

Limbic is the first UKCA-marked clinical assessment support tool for IAPT. Across 21 services, Limbic consistently frees up staff time, reduces costs, and improves patient experience and accessibility. Find out more from our founder, Dr Ross Harper on ross@limbic.ai.


SilverCloud by Amwell a leading provider of evidence-based digital mental and behavioural healthcare solutions. Supporting 80% of NHS Talking Therapies Services, with up to 70% clinical recovery rates.


Mindler provides secure, confidential online therapy, with over 145,000 adults supported. Qualified therapists deliver CBT, Counselling and EMDR through typed or video sessions. Appointments are available seven days a week, helping people access effective treatment wherever they feel comfortable. 

Why sponsor?

We believe in knowing our customers and working with them in tandem to create strategic and well-conceived solutions that provide all the necessary sales and marketing levers to achieve their objectives and deliver the required level of engagement across the event. It is widely accepted that sponsorship provides a great means of broadening your competitive edge by improving your company’s image, prestige and credibility. Aside from enhancing visibility and image it provides a level playing field.

Your event, managed by us

SBK Healthcare also provides in-house forums. Working closely with you as the client we can research, produce, market and deliver the conference or online forum that best suits the audience and meets your goals.

Reach out today

If you would like more information on our sponsorship options an in-house forum or if you wish to discuss your needs and what solutions may be appropriate for your business, please contact:


Vanessa Jarman
Contact: 01732 897788
Email: vanessa.jarman@sbk-healthcare.co.uk

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