Wellcome donates £2m to UK's digital mental health drive
Medical charity Wellcome has provided £2 million ($2.6 million) in additional funding to the UK's MHRA medicines regulator and reimbursement authority NICE, to help advance the development of digital health technologies (DHTs) for mental health.
The top-up cash will be used to continue an ongoing project by the MHRA and NICE to develop new regulatory and commissioning appraisal pathways for mental health DHTs, making sure they are safe, effective, and provide value for the NHS.
DHTs for mental health are already being deployed by the NHS, but so far in a fairly haphazard manner, with few being rolled out in a coordinated way, and the ongoing programme is seeking to provide a structural framework to support this emerging category. Wellcome also provided £1.8 million towards that objective three years ago.
DHTs like symptom-tracking apps, AI-powered clinical assessments, and virtual reality (VR) therapy are starting to deliver tangible benefits for some people, according to the agencies, which cite the findings of the meta-analysis of studies published earlier this year in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, which found significant benefits for DHTs used for depression, anxiety, and stress.
That study called for further research on how these DHTs can be implemented and embedded in healthcare systems, which is the focus of the MHRA and NICE's ongoing project.
In a statement, the MHRA said the new funding will be provided through to autumn 2028, adding: "As these technologies become more embedded in everyday care, clear standards and reliable evidence are essential so users, clinicians, and services can trust how they work and what they offer."
The next phase of the programme will focus on establishing a digital mental health technology 'AI airlock' – a regulator-monitored virtual area for developers to generate evidence for their devices already being piloted – and the exploration of international partnerships and mutual recognition for new technologies.
It will also continue its drive for increased quality and evidence for mental health DHTs on the UK market, and consider the challenges in transporting evidence across international settings.
"Digital mental health support is becoming part of daily life for many people," said MHRA chief executive Lawrence Tallon.
"When someone turns to a tool to help with their mental health, they need to know it is safe, effective, and built on reliable evidence," he added. "This funding helps us continue that work."
NICE has already endorsed various forms of DHT for use by the NHS in mental health applications, including for psychosis, depression, and anxiety-related conditions.
Photo by Gadiel Lazcano on Unsplash
