Six health boards in Wales partner with online mental health service

NHS Wales has confirmed that six of the country’s seven health boards have direct referral pathways to SilverCloud’s online mental health platform.

SilverCloud Wales offers a suite of guided, self-help programmes based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for managing mental health issues, including mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and sleep problems.

The perinatal department at Hywel Dda University Health Board is the latest team to partner with the service.

Fionnuala Clayton, online CBT project manager at NHS Wales, said: “This has been a collaborative effort and it is testament to the determination of teams across Wales to bring the benefits of SilverCloud’s programmes to their patients.

“The more referral pathways we can establish, the more patients we can support.

“We know from experience that people are more likely to sign up to a course if they’re referred to the service via a GP or other health practitioner.

“Of course, practitioners in any part of Wales are welcome to signpost people to the online CBT Service, but where direct referral is available, it’s important that it’s used over simple signposting to promote joined-up care.”

Other recent new joiners include Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s children, young people and family health service, and the child psychology team at Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB).

Swansea’s psychological service within the Lymphoedema Wales Clinical Network also began referring in January 2025, and Betsi Cadwaladr – the one remaining health board to establish a referral pathway – is working towards direct access this year.

Dr Jayne Williams, national lymphoedema consultant psychologist for LWCN, said: “As SilverCloud is online, it has the capacity to reach many more people than we could see face-to-face, and its flexibility means that it fits around busy work and family lives.

“Being able to offer something that patients can do in their own way, at their own pace is brilliant.”

Data shows that service users are twice as likely to complete the SilverCloud sign up process when they are supported by a referring practitioner.

The number of people referred to the service last year were up almost a quarter on 2023 figures.

Sign-ups to SilverCloud Wales increased 7% in 2024 compared to the previous year and there was a 7.8% increase reported for the first two months of 2025, compared with the same period last year.

Dr Rebecca Saltmarsh, from the child psychology team at SBUHB, said: “SilverCloud has been really welcomed by Child Psychologists in Swansea Bay.

“We are aware that, for some young people, being able to access an evidence-based therapeutic programme from their own home, at the time that is most convenient for them, can be extremely beneficial.

“The programmes are well-grounded in CBT theory but are presented in engaging ways, suitable for young people’s developmental needs, so are both accessible and practical.”

Meanwhile, since September 2024, staff at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board have been referring new and expectant parents in Wales for mental health support through SilverCloud.