London mental health web service planned

The London Health Board is planning to establish an open access digital mental health service to help Londoners with untreated mental disorders.

The London Procurement Partnership has issued a prior information notice on behalf of the organisation for an OJEU tender for an “online pan-London digital mental health service”.

The notice says the service will offer a “strategic response to a gap in service provision” for the estimated 1.1m Londoners with undiagnosed and untreated common mental disorders.

“The vision is to improve mental wellbeing and increase mental health resilience of adults in London, by offering an open access digital service to London's 6.5m adults.”

It will be delivered across mobile and desktop applications with access through self-referral.

The service will allow users to self-assess and manage their mental wellbeing with evidence-based resources, peer-to-peer support and contact with mental health professionals.

The notice says that while there are a number of “excellent” existing online services that provide mental health support, such as computer-based technology programmes, specialist chat forums and interactive apps, “they are far from a strategic response and there are many gaps in service provision”.

Delivering the service at scale will offer a number of advantages including cost savings, service benefits and opportunities for innovation, the notice says.

The service will be constantly monitored by trained mental health professionals to minimise the risk of harm and maximise positive impact, with clinical governance of the service including due diligence on all evidence-based resources and supervision of monitoring staff.

The notice says a successful service will help to reduce London's greater levels of need, while also reducing pressure on other health and care services.

The London Health Board is a partnership between local and regional government and health organisations, including London Councils and Public Health England.

A spokesperson for Public Health England said it was not in a position to comment about the mental health service project, as it was still in its early stages.