NHS North Durham, Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield and Darlington Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are working together to commission an integrated talking therapy service in the area. 

All three CCGs want to make sure that services users and the public, health professionals and others are involved in developing how these services are delivered.

Talking therapies include primary care psychology, improving access to psychological therapies and primary care counselling and could include other services in the future, such as a rapid response suicide prevention service. 

Having all these services working in an integrated way means they can all be offered to local residents in the County Durham and Darlington area through a single access point.

The aim is for service users to receive co-ordinated services, improved choice of therapy and therapist, and the ability to receive other interventions while they are waiting for therapy.

The services could be delivered in a number of different locations within the area, which will be identified by the potential provider. However there will be a focus on delivering services locally as is the case now in GP practice services and other facilities in the local community.

A suggested new model

There is a proposal for an integrated model of care.   The CCGs are currently exploring the need for a central access point and would like views on this.  The model would ensure the delivery of existing elements of talking therapies: counselling, CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), and primary care psychology. This is shown in the diagram below.

Engaging local people

Pre-engagement is being undertaken during June/July to gather further views of service users, public, service providers, GPs, practices and other local stakeholders.  Their views will be used to shape the service as it is very important that the service specification is developed to meet the needs of the local population and continue to develop talking therapy services as an integral part of the local healthcare system, providing treatment and support for all the people served by the CCGs.  

How to have your say

NHS North Durham, Durham Dales Easington and Sedgefield and Darlington Clinical Commissioning Groups would like your views on how the Talking Therapies service can be improved. 

You can have your say by requesting a paper copy of the survey from Gail Whitehead on 0191 374 4167 or Lynne Carter on 0191 374 4241 or via gail.whitehead2@nhs.net.

Alternatively you can complete an online version of the form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/TalkingtherapiesDurhamDarlington

Please make sure that your comments and feedback reach us by Friday 11 July 2014.

Once the views of service users, the public, service providers, GPs and practices and other local stakeholders are received, these will be used to shape the service – a procurement process (asking organisations to offer to run the service) is expected to start in the summer and the new service can start to see patients in 2015