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cCBT services in Oldham

   

Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

             (cCBT) Service in Oldham

What is Beating the Blues?

Beating the Blues is a computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) programme for depression, which was developed jointly by Ultrasis plc and Dr Judy Proudfoot from the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, London. The programme consists of an introductory video and 8 fifty minute sessions which incorporate best practice in cognitive and behavioural therapy delivered through a computer based multi-media package. See http://www.ultrasis.com for more information. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recently recommended Beating the Blues as an option for delivering CBT in the management of mild and moderate depression.

What is FearFighter?

FearFighter is a computerised cognitive behaviour therapy package, jointly developed by Stuart Toole and Prof. Isaac Marks.  FearFighter has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as an effective treatment for panic/anxiety and phobias. FearFighter consists of nine steps which help users identify specific problems, develop and work on realistic treatment goals, and monitor achievement of those goals' by repeated self-exposure. See http://www.fearfighter.com/ for more information

About this service

The service itself is co-ordinated by Self Help Services – a registered charity (No. 1122063) housed within the Big Life Group - and is commissioned by NHS Oldham. The service runs from the following venues:

Oldham Library,
Cultural Quarter,
Greaves Street
,
Oldham
,
OL1 1AL

Service operates on Monday’s from 3:30pm to 6:30pm


Failsworth School,
Brierley Avenue
,
Failsworth,
Manchester
,
M35 9HA

Service operates on Tuesday’s from 6:30pm – 8:30pm


The LaticZone Centre,
Oldham Athletic,
Boundary
Park 
Furtherwood Road,
Oldham
,
OL1 2PA


Service operates on Wednesday’s from 10:30am - 2:30pm


Chadderton Court Social Inclusion Resource Centre,
451 Middleton Road
,
Chadderton,
OL9 9LB

Service operates on Thursday’s from 4:00pm – 9:00pm


The service offers clients living with depression and/or anxiety who are patients of Oldham GPs, the opportunity to undertake the cCBT packages; Beating the Blues or FearFighter. This service is available via the following referral routes; Self-referral, GP referral; & Mental Health Professional referral.

 

About our cCBT Support Workers

Beating the Blues and FearFighter are both self-help packages and therefore participants may find that they are able to work through the modules with little or no assistance. However, we do have a team of cCBT Support Workers on hand to help if any assistance is necessary.

The cCBT Support Workers work on a voluntary basis and receive support, line management and regular external supervision from Self Help Services. All cCBT Support Workers undertake a programme of mandatory training through the cCBT packages to familiarise themselves with their content and operations. The cCBT Support Workers are not therapists but are people who either have direct personal experience of depression, anxiety or low mood or have a special interest in these areas because of their studies or career. The cCBT Support Workers have also completed an enhanced criminal disclosure before they have undertaken their voluntary role. During the cCBT session, one or more cCBT Support Workers will be available to offer guidance or support to clients. If there are any technical problems during the session or clients need assistance in understanding any of the material being presented, then the cCBT Support Workers are on hand to help.

Confidentiality

The cCBT coordinator will liase with a client’s GP at the start (self referrals only) and end of the cCBT course. During the course the cCBT Co-ordinator will not usually need to contact a client’s GP – however, if issues of safety arise, for example, if the cCBT Support Worker believes that someone is a risk to themselves or others, they may need to discuss this further with the cCBT Co-ordinator who may then contact the clients GP. The cCBT Co-ordinator will always discuss this with the client before making contact with the GP and additional appropriate crisis contacts will be provided to the client at this stage. In turn, if it is felt that the cCBT service is not appropriate for the client or the client is not finding any benefit from accessing the cCBT service, the option of ‘stepping up’ the client to a more appropriate service will be discussed in collaboration with the client. The cCBT Co-ordinator will then assist to make a more appropriate referral.

Monitoring and evaluation

In order to ensure that we provide a high quality, accessible service that continues to meet clients’ needs, we ask that clients’ assist us by completing a ‘Record Form’. This form asks questions such as area of residence, age, sex etc. and helps us to monitor whether our cCBT service is accessible to all. As this service is continually evaluated, clients will also be asked to complete a number of additional clinical measures whilst accessing the service. 

Comments, compliments and complaints

If you wish to discuss the cCBT service further or wish to make a comment, suggestion, or complaint, please contact Self Help Services cCBT Service at:

Zion Community Resource Centre, 339 Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 4ZY, Telephone number: (0161) 232 7854 or email oldhamccbt@selfhelpservices.org.uk   

Alternatively you may wish to fill in the feedback form on our website: www.selfhelpservices.org.uk.