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Transforming Outcomes in NHS Talking Therapies

Transforming Outcomes in NHS Talking Therapies
Online Forum, 5.5 CPD hours
Thu 22 Jan 2026

Leading annual online forum offering practical Talking Therapies solutions

NHS Talking Therapies Step 2 and Step 3 teams came together at this specially developed online, yet interactive forum and identified how other services are tackling the same pressures. The participants were able to take away actionable ideas to implement immediately in their own service. With insightful speakers, interactive discussions and opportunities to network with colleagues from across the country, this was a chance to learn what’s working elsewhere, benchmark your service and log off inspired with fresh approaches that deliver change where it matters most.

Sponsored by:

          

Boost engagement in your service

Attendees learned from stimulating presentations designed to inspire Talking Therapies teams, focussing on: 

  • Understanding Talking Therapies’ role in the NHS 10-Year Plan
  • Using data to improve decisions, quality and recovery outcomes
  • Keeping up-to-date on evidence-based Step 2 and Step 3 protocols
  • Adapting care for neurodivergent clients to boost engagement and completion
  • Improving access by reducing DNAs and engaging underserved communities

Education designed to inspire

On the day we were able to benefit from invaluable networking and best practice sharing. Those in attendance had the opportunity to:

  • Connect with fellow professionals to share challenges, insights and solutions
  • Refresh your approach with practical ideas to boost engagement and recovery rates 
  • Gain actionable takeaways from expert speakers and like-minded Talking Therapies colleagues from Step 2 and Step 3
  • Reignite team purpose with ideas that strengthen wellbeing and leadership

With thanks to our sponsors

SBK Healthcare would like to thank Limbic and SilverCloud by Amwell for sponsoring this educational forum.

Invitation to sponsor

If you are a commercial organisation working with Talking Therapies services, this annual online forum provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your expertise, solutions, and support to this national Talking Therapies audience. To discuss sponsorship packages or how you can get involved, please email Vanessa Pearce, Talking Therapies Account Manager on  01732 897788.

9.00
Registration, networking and meet the sponsors
9.30
Chair’s opening remarks and introductions
Steve Skinner, Service Development Lead, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
The future of NHS Talking Therapies
9.40
National update: Talking Therapies and the NHS 10-year plan
  • How does Talking Therapies fit within the broader NHS 10-year strategy?
  • Delving into the detail of how the NHS App and digital front doors will integrate with services
  • Identifying how policy priorities will shape local service delivery and access
Dr Adrian Whittington, National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions, NHS England
The importance of data
10.10
Understanding NHS Talking Therapies data: developing insights to drive action
  • Discover how routinely collected data can been used to identify inequalities in access and care
  • Learn practical ways to use service data to support service improvement initiatives
  • Gain insight into how data analytics can support better decision-making
Professor Rob Saunders, CORE Lab Data, University College London
10.40
Questions and answers with your speakers
10.50
Beyond the hype: How to use clinical AI to supercharge your practice, boost wellbeing and deliver better outcomes
Kathleen Henrick, General Manager, UK and Kiu Fear, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Limbic
11:00
SilverCloud's release of the LTC unlockable module for Step 2
Sam Lane, Senior Product Manager, SilverCloud by Amwell
11:10
Questions and answers with your industry partners
11.20
Meet the sponsors
11.30
Screen break
Latest guidance developments
11.40
Exploring new treatment protocols and evidence-based innovations
  • Reviewing the latest evidence-based treatment protocols for Step 2 and Step 3
  • Exploring the impact of new protocols on service recovery and patient outcomes
  • Breaking down the challenges and opportunities for adopting new protocols at scale
Dr Sarfraz Jeraj, Senior Lecturer (CBT), University of Surrey
12.10
Questions and answers with your speaker
12.15
Interactive discussion: Aligning policy, practice and local needs
  • What are your local challenges in interpreting and implementing national policies?
  • How are you interpreting national policies within your team?
  • What have you done so far to try to meet national priorities?
12.30
Feedback back from interactive discussion: Aligning policy, practice and local needs
12.40
Lunch and screen break
Improving engagement
1.15
Preparing neurodivergent clients for talking therapies
  • Considering the common barriers to engagement for neurodivergent clients
  • Assessing effective adaptations to assessment and treatment processes
  • Practical strategies to prepare clients for therapy and maximise completion rates
Natasha Hickmott, BABCP Neurodiversity SIG, CBT Therapist and Supervisor, NHS and CBT for ADHD
1.45
Exploring the positive practice guide for working with substance use
  • Understanding the clinical rationale and data behind the guide
  • Navigating what the guide is saying in practice and how to apply in your service
  • Case studies: illustrating effective partnership working with drug and alcohol services
Dr Luke Mitcheson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lambeth Drug and Alcohol Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Clinical Advisor, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and Steve Skinner, Service Development Lead, Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
2.15
Questions and answers with your speakers
2.25
Interactive discussion: Enhancing engagement in your service
  • Share your current success stories and lessons learned, so far, in improving engagement
  • How are you working to tackle inequalities in access, retention and outcomes?
  • What approaches are you working towards to embed inclusive practices across your service?
2.40
Feedback from your interactive discussion: Enhancing engagement in your service
2.50
Screen break
3.00
Reaching underserved communities: key engagement strategies
  • Pinpointing key factors influencing engagement across different demographic groups
  • Uncovering service-led strategies to reduce non-attendance and improve access
  • Innovative approaches to strengthen engagement and retention throughout treatment
Heather Stonebank, Clinical Programmes Manager, North East and Yorkshire Regional Mental Health Team, NHS England
3.30
Questions and answers with your speaker
3.40
Interactive discussion: Practicalities of improving recovery and outcome rates
  • What are your key challenges and solutions to increasing recovery rates?
  • Which innovative initiatives have you implemented to improve local service outcomes?
  • Which practical, actionable steps you will implement when you return to your role?
3.55
Feedback from interactive discussion: Practicalities of improving recovery and outcomes
4.05
Chair’s closing remarks and close of day

With thanks to the speakers

Steve Skinner

Service Development Lead
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Biography

Dr Adrian Whittington

National Clinical Lead for Psychological Professions
NHS England
Biography

Professor Rob Saunders

CORE Lab Data
University College London
Biography

Kathleen Henrick

General Manager, UK
Limbic

Kiu Fear

Senior Product Marketing Manager
Limbic

Sam Lane

Senior Product Manager
SilverCloud by Amwell

Natasha Hickmott

BABCP Neurodiversity SIG, CBT Therapist and Supervisor
NHS and CBT for ADHD
Biography

Dr Sarfraz Jeraj

Senior Lecturer (CBT)
University of Surrey
Biography

Dr Luke Mitcheson

Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Advisor
Lambeth Drug and Alcohol Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
Biography

Heather Stonebank

Clinical Programmes Manager
North East and Yorkshire Regional Mental Health Team, NHS England

Who came?

This online forum was designed for professionals working at Step 2 and Step 3 across NHS Talking Therapies services. We saw attendance from the likes of: 

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

Audience feedback

SBK Healthcare have been delivering successful Talking Therapies events for many years with excellent attendee feedback. But don’t take our word for it, take a look at how attendees have described our 2025 online forum:

“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
“Helpful to get some updates on the current direction for NHS Talking Therapies and to hear from other services about how they are managing the challenges. Key points seem to be around digital technologies and expanding the workforce”
- Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“Excellent topics overall as expected. The updates on the national picture and how the data insights can support recovery and how AI can support interventions for clients to access, engage and complete treatment”
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“An inspiring selection of speakers, providing great context, understanding and sharing good practice”
- Roex Digital Healthcare, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“Really liked having the breakout rooms to discuss the content in more detail and learn from others”
- Health in Mind (Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust), Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“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 in a Talking Therapies service”
- South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – Stoke and Staffordshire Talking Therapies, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“Informative, generated ideas to bring back to service and knowing difficulties we are experiencing are very similar to other services”
- NHS Oldham Talking Therapies (Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust), Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“Really interesting and relevant topics based on the current problems being faced in service”
- Steps 2 Wellbeing – Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025
“Really great presentations and great opportunity to network”
- South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, Talking Therapies National Networking Forum 2025

With thanks to our 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.

Attend as a 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:

Vanessa Pearce
Contact: 01732 897788
Email: Vanessa.Pearce@sbk-healthcare.co.uk