Two Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Professors have received funding awards from NIHR’s Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme
The NIHR i4i Programme is a translational research funding scheme aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.
The “gameChange” virtual reality (VR) automated therapy programme, led by Professor Daniel Freeman, and the Better Therapy in Less Time project conducted at the Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (OxCADAT) and led by Professor Anke Ehlers, were two of seven projects which received the i4i awards.
Both Professors Freeman and Ehlers are Co-Theme Leads of the BRC’s Psychological Treatments Theme. The gameChange programme delivers VR therapy using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to people with agoraphobia, intense fear of being outside in everyday situations.
The better therapy in less time: Real world evaluations of digitally enabled cognitive therapies for PTSD and Social Anxiety Disorder found that patients who received CBT online had good or better outcomes that those who received traditional CBT, face-to-face.
OxCADAT, a research centre in Oxford, aims to improve the understanding and treatment of anxiety disorders and is currently focusing on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).
Professor Ehlers said: “Our previous studies found that the therapist-assisted internet treatments for PTSD and social anxiety disorder developed at OxCADAT achieved outcomes at least as good (often better) than those seen with traditionally delivered therapy in NHS services, while also saving therapist time.
“If the early promise of the treatments is confirmed in the new studies, the NHS will be able to offer patients a wider choice in how to receive effective treatment and will be able to treat more people.”
For more information about gameChange or the Better Therapy in Less Time projects please email: ohbrcenquiries@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
Read more about the other 5 NIHR i4i Programme awards on the NIHR website.
