Project Overview
An NHS Trust providing IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) services to 28,000 patients per year...
Technology Stack
Compliance & Standards
The Challenge
An NHS Trust providing IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) services to 28,000 patients per year needed a digital platform — replacing paper-based referral triage, PHQ-9/GAD-7 questionnaire administration, therapist caseload management, and IAPT national data submission to NHS England. IAPT Data Standard (mandatory national reporting), DCB0129 (clinical safety in mental health — NHS Safe Messaging), DTAC all 5 domains, UK GDPR Article 9, NHS SDS, and WCAG 2.1 AA were mandatory. Budget: £80,000.
Our Approach
IAPT referral sources
- GP referral (NHS eRS FHIR R4), self-referral (digital form), and third-party referral (A&
- E, crisis).
Triage workflow
referral received → PHQ-9 (depression) + GAD-7 (anxiety) questionnaires administered digitally → triage score calculated → severity band (mild/moderate/severe) → step allocation (Step 2 low-intensity, Step 3 high-intensity CBT, Step 4 specialist).
Waiting time tracking
RTT (Referral to Treatment) clock from referral receipt —
IAPT standard
- first assessment within 6 weeks, first treatment within 18 weeks.
- PHQ-9 and GAD-7
Digital Administration
PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and GAD-7 (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7): standardised validated questionnaires.
Digital administration
- 9 and 7 questions respectively, Likert scale responses (0–3), automatic scoring and severity banding.
- Session-by-session monitoring (SSM): PHQ-9/GAD-7 administered before each session — recovery tracking (reliable recovery = PHQ-9 <
- 10 AND improvement ≥ 6).
IAPT Data Standard
both instruments and scores mandated in national submission.
NHS Safe Messaging and Mental Health Content
- NHS Safe Messaging Guidelines (Samaritans): all IAPT platform content reviewed against safe messaging standards.
- No references to methods, no statistics that could normalise suicidal ideation.
Safety planning
digital safety plan co-produced at first assessment — visible on patient's mobile app.
Crisis resources
- prominently displayed on every page (Samaritans 116 123, Crisis line, A&
- E).
NHS App Library
IAPT platforms must comply with NHS App Library standards if NHS App embedded.
IAPT Data Standard
quarterly submission to NHS England (NHS Digital CSDS — Community Services Data Set).
Data extract
per-patient anonymised data (NHS number pseudonymised — SHA-256 hash), referral details, assessment outcomes, treatment sessions, recovery status.
CSDS API
automated submission via NHS Digital CSDS API (NHS England Data Services).
Data quality
automated data quality checks before submission — mandatory field completeness, valid code ranges, date logic.
The Results
DTAC approved all 5 domains.
Platform live at 14 weeks, £74,000 — under budget.
IAPT RTT compliance (first assessment within 6 weeks): 94% (target: 90%).
Session-by-session monitoring completion: 96% (target: 85%).
Reliable Recovery rate: 52% (above IAPT national average of 49%).
IAPT Data Standard submission: automated — previously 3 days per quarter.
WCAG 2.1 AA: zero non-compliances.
NHS England praised the data quality as "best in region".
“52% reliable recovery versus 49% national average. Every percentage point represents real patients recovering from depression and anxiety. RTT compliance 94% versus 90% target. IAPT Data Standard automated — 3 days per quarter recovered. NHS England "best in region" for data quality. DTAC first submission." — Clinical Director IAPT, NHS Trust (name withheld)”
Project Details
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