Talking Therapies National Networking Forum: Enhancing Access and Engagement

Talking Therapies National Networking Forum: Enhancing Access and Engagement
5.5 CPD Hours Early bird: £199+VAT
Online Forum, 5.5 CPD hours
Wed 27 Jan 2027 09:00-15:55

Join this annual online forum to boost engagement, support underserved populations and apply the latest national updates 

Now entering its 14th year, the highly regarded Talking Therapies National Networking Forum returns, bringing together services to explore the latest updates from NHS England, optimise digital pathways, improve engagement with underserved populations and ensure people access the appropriate treatment. 

Whether you are a service or team lead, therapist, PWP, manager or psychologist working in NHS Talking Therapies, come together with your peers nationally to identify and address the pressures facing your role and service. Hear from expert speakers, engage in interactive discussions and network with colleagues to benchmark your service and share approaches to common challenges. 

Advance your practice

Enhance your access and outcomes with expert-led, interactive learning

Take the opportunity to focus on improving engagement and outcomes for underserved populations, understand the latest national guidance and ensure people are directed to the appropriate treatment pathway. This tailored training day will explore how to: 

  • Integrate updates to the NHS Talking Therapies Manual successfully in your practice 
  • Support your service’s expansion in line with the Autumn 2023 budget 
  • Optimise digital pathways and integrate new innovations effectively
  • Adapt support for those experiencing perimenopause and menopause 
  • Improve engagement and recovery for under 25s 
  • Identify the appropriate treatment pathway from the outset

Learn, benchmark and share

Benefit from invaluable networking and sharing of best practice in unmissable peer-led discussions to hear how other services are responding to common challenges. By attending, you will have the opportunity to: 

  • Build connections with peers nationally from a range of services
  • Grow in confidence when responding to complex clinical presentations and supporting underserved populations
  • Gain actionable takeaways from expert-led presentations and unique opportunities to ask your burning questions 
  • Gauge how your service compares nationally and where innovations could boost engagement and outcomes

Invitation to sponsor

Talking Therapies National Networking Forums enable providers of Talking Therapy technology and treatments to support healthcare professionals. 

If you would like to sponsor this forum please email Ella Johns or call Ella on 01732 897788 to find out about all the engagement and branding opportunities available in the full sponsorship package.

9.00
Registration and networking in breakout rooms
9.30
Chair’s opening remarks and introductions
Steve Skinner, Pathway Development Lead, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Talking Therapies Manual update
9.40
National update: Implementing the latest NHS Talking Therapies Manual
  • Reviewing updates to the NHS Talking Therapies Manual
  • Identifying the impact of the updates on engagement and recovery
  • Establishing what successful implementation and best practice look like
Dr Adrian Whittington, National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions, NHS England
Autumn 2023 budget
10.10
Making the 2023 Autumn Statement expansion happen in reality: challenges and solutions
  • Sharing findings from the national deep dive into services that have not expanded at the expected rate
  • Identifying recurring barriers to expansion, including workforce and funding challenges
  • Establishing practical solutions to deliver sustained expansion in line with national expectations
10.40
Questions and answers with your speakers
Industry partner showcase
10.50
Sponsored presentations
11.10
Questions and answers with your industry partners
11.20
Screen break
Integrating digital pathways
11.30
Exploring updates in digital innovations for NHS Talking Therapies
  • Considering how digital front doors minimise inappropriate referrals
  • Evaluating the effect of digital pathways on client flow
  • Exploring the research: UK Parliament POST – AI and Mental Healthcare
Mona Stylianou, Clinical Director, Everyturn Mental Health
12.00
Questions and answers with your speaker
12.10
Interactive discussion: Evaluating the digital maturity of your service
  • How are you ensuring your digital front door isn’t creating a barrier for people who are digitally disengaged?
  • What evidence are you seeing that digital pathways are improving client flow and outcomes?
  • How can you balance standardised digital triage with clinical judgement?
12.25
Feedback from interactive discussion: Evaluating the digital maturity of your service
12.35
Lunch break
Perimenopause and menopause support
1.05
Adapting psychological support for clients experiencing perimenopause and menopause
  • Recognising and identifying appropriate pathways for menopause support
  • Expanding menopause support and signposting to local services
  • Adapting therapeutic interventions for anxiety and depression in the context of perimenopause and menopause
Professor Myra Hunter, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Health Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London
Young adult engagement
1.35
Improving engagement to reduce early dropout for young people under 25
  • Adapting therapy for young adults to boost engagement
  • Integrating developmental considerations into your therapeutic approach
  • Signposting to relevant employment and financial support to improve outcomes
Dr Joshua Buckman, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Co-director CORE Data Lab, Clinical Director of UCL University Clinic, University College London and Principal Clinical Psychologist, NHS Talking Therapies, North London NHS Foundation Trust
2.05
Questions and answers with your speakers
2.15
Interactive discussion: Enhancing engagement in your service
  • How are you making therapy feel more relevant and accessible to disengaged populations?
  • What approaches have you found most effective in reducing dropout and sustaining engagement?
  • How are you working to tackle inequalities in access and recovery rates?
2.30
Feedback from interactive discussion: Enhancing engagement in your service
2.40
Screen break
Identify appropriate treatment
2.50
Ensuring appropriate treatment pathways are identified the first time
  • Distinguishing complex and overlapping presentations to identify the appropriate treatment pathway
  • Identifying risk and associated referral thresholds to mitigate inappropriate referrals
  • Understanding when and where to signpost referrals to secondary care when triaging
3.20
Questions and answers with your speaker
3.30
Interactive discussion: Optimising recovery by ensuring correct treatment
  • What are the biggest challenges in getting people on the right treatment pathway the first time?
  • How are you improving your approach in identifying when a client needs a different level of support?
  • How is your service ensuring smooth transitions between NHS Talking Therapies and secondary care?
3.45
Feedback from interactive discussion: Optimising recovery by ensuring correct treatment
3.55
Chair’s closing remarks and close of day

Bringing a wealth of expertise

Benefit from hearing from leaders across NHS Talking Therapies, ask your burning questions and explore the developments shaping the future of services, care and outcomes for service users. 

Dr Adrian Whittington

National Clinical Lead for the Psychological Professions
NHS England

Mona Stylianou

Clinical Director
Everyturn Mental Health

Professor Myra Hunter

Emeritus Professor of Clinical Health Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
King's College London

Steve Skinner

Pathway Development Lead
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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Dr Joshua Buckman

Professor of Clinical Psychology, Co-Director CORE Data Lab, Clinical Director UCL University Clinic and Principal Clinical Psychologist
University College London and NHS Talking Therapies, North London NHS Foundation Trust

Call for speakers

If you would like to give a presentation and share your work or the work of your service at this online conference, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To discuss speaking opportunities please email the conference producer Erin Griffiths or call Erin on 01732 897788.

Pricing Structure

  • £249+VAT full price - for one NHS, public sector or charity place 
  • £199+VAT early bird - NHS or public sector places when booked before Friday 27th November
  • Fourth place FREE: team offer when you book 3 places at full price
Discount policy: Only one offer applies per booking

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

Ella Johns
Contact: 01732 897788
Email: Ella.Johns@sbk-events.co.uk

Reservations

You can reserve a no-obligation place whilst you apply for funding.

If your funding has not yet been secured or you would like to hold your place with no obligation whilst waiting for your study leave to be approved, you can reserve your place with us. Please email the reservations team at SBK Healthcare with your details:

  •  Booking contact: name, job title, department, email and telephone number
  •  Event(s) to reserve for: title and date
  •  Delegate details (for each delegate): name, job title, department, email and telephone number
  •  Organisation details: name and address

Alternatively you can make a confirmed booking by emailing the above information to the bookings team

How this online forum will work

Once you have booked your place, SBK Healthcare will correspond with you using the email address you provided at the time of booking. Within one week of the online training taking place, you will be sent final details of the course including a full agenda, programme timings and your Zoom joining instructions. This email will include a joining link that can be used to access the course.

If you have not received your email two days before your event, do check your junk folder then contact SBK Healthcare on 01732 897788.

Practice sessions are available. If you would like to attend a zoom practice session before the event takes place, please let us know by emailing bookings@sbk-healthcare.co.uk. You will have the opportunity to meet an SBK Healthcare staff member who will ensure you are able to access zoom, that your camera and microphone work and you are fully set-up for the day. This is optional but if you do wish to attend, please use the same device that you plan to use on the day.

On the day, when registration starts, you will be able to join the course by initially entering a waiting room when there may be a short wait. The forum will include screen breaks, as well as topic themed interactive sessions which will take place in the breakout rooms.

Click here to view the specially created 5-minute video that will walk you through how to get the most out of attending your SBK Healthcare interactive online forum.

Terms and conditions

Registration fees

You will be sent an instant payment option or invoice on registration. Your payment is required in advance. If your fee has not been received prior to the event, and you are not able to provide a PO or proof of payment, you will be asked to make a credit or debit card payment on the day.

Modifying your registration

To let us know if your details are not correct when you have already registered, please email the bookings team.

Cancellations and substitutions

A full refund of fees will be made only for cancellations received within the first 48 hours of the booking being made. Notice of cancellation must be received in writing by emailing the bookings team at SBK Healthcare. Should you need to cancel your registration after this date, the registration fee remains payable in its entirety although a substitution will be accepted and conference documentation will be provided. Substitution attendees for delegates unable to attend after registering are acceptable at any time.

Event changes

It may be necessary for reasons beyond the control of the conference organisers to alter the content, speakers or the timing of the programme. We will endeavour to keep you abreast of such changes but any unavoidable change to the format will not constitute a reason to refund the fee. Should the event be postponed, we will endeavour to reschedule the event. If, for reasons beyond the control of the conference organiser, the event is cancelled, a full refund will be made. We do not accept any liability for any incurred costs resulting from a postponement or cancellation.

Certification of attendance

A certificate for Continuing Professional Development will be given to every fully registered participant who completes the course, as a record of your continuing professional training and development.

Privacy notice

To view the details on how your data is being collected and used, please view our Privacy policy.

Who should attend?

Tailor-made for professionals working across Step 2 and Step 3 NHS Talking Therapies services, attendees of this annual online forum will benefit from national updates and guidance, actionable ideas and unmissable networking. Attendance is expected from, but not limited to: 

  • High-Intensity Therapists
  • Service Leads
  • Service Managers
  • Clinical Supervisors 
  • Team Leads
  • PWPs
  • Counsellors
  • Psychotherapists
  • Psychologists 

Past attendee feedback

Over the years, this high-impact annual forum has brought together NHS Talking Therapies professionals from across the country to share their progress and benchmark their approaches whilst hearing from an array of expert speakers. Hear from previous attendees on what the day brought them: 

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“SBK events are always well organised. Really interesting topics covered today and definitely some practical ideas to go away and think about”
- Northumberland Talking Therapies, Transforming Outcomes in NHS Talking Therapies 2026
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“Very informative, and gave me a lot of ideas that could be implemented”
- Northumberland Talking Therapies, Transforming Outcomes in NHS Talking Therapies 2026
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“Good presenters and topics, good visual information, up to date and evidence based”
- Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service, Transforming Outcomes in NHS Talking Therapies 2026
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“Excellent for learning latest guidance and research on key topics to improve service delivery”
- Avon and Wiltshire NHS Trust, Transforming Outcomes in NHS Talking Therapies 2026
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“Really useful to get outside of my own organisation and hear about others’ innovations, ideas, shared challenges and where we are all looking to go moving forwards. Highlights where my service is doing well and where we can look to improve to be alongside external colleagues”
- Everyturn Mental Health, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
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“An inspiring selection of speaker, providing great context, understanding and sharing good practice”
- Roex Digital Healthcare, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
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“Relevant, important discussions and a chance to reflect on more of the bigger picture parts of the job rather than the constant firefighting nature of working within a Talking Therapies service”
- South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Stoke and Staffordshire Talking Therapies, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
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“Really well organised – I enjoyed it. I would love more of my colleagues to attend”
- Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service, NHS Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2024
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“Very engaging and informative and gained useful ideas and resources to share with the service”
- Pennine Care, IAPT National Networking Forum 2023
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“Great opportunity to hear about national developments and connect with other services to share experience and knowledge”
- IAPT National Networking Forum 2022

Why sponsor?

Our role at SBK Healthcare is to bring industry together with healthcare professionals so that you can educate and inform your audience. These trail-blazing talking therapies forums offer dedicated presentations, Q&A, networking and discussion time, each sponsor will be fully  immersed into the event and able to effectively engage with your NHS audience.

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:

Ella Johns
Contact: 01732 897788
Email: Ella.Johns@sbk-events.co.uk