“Women need personalised, preventative mental health support – that’s what a digital approach provides”

Despite increased awareness, and a more accurate representation of mental health in the media, we still have a long way to go before every woman has access to the support they need, says Kate Newhouse.

The perceived stigma surrounding mental health is fading, but not all women feel able to reach out and ask for help, or know where to turn to at a point of need.

More often than not, the responsibility for supporting the mental health needs of women lies primarily in the hands of the NHS, with the first port of call in seeking support being their GP.

But the NHS is in crisis. A&E admissions and GP appointment waiting times are at an all time high. Even if an appointment is secured, according to research by The Women’s Organisation, only three in five women feel comfortable discussing their mental health concerns with a health professional.

With this often comes a feeling of loss of control, but also a belief that they should know how to cope, and that they shouldn’t reach out for help.

Feedback from Kooth service users suggests that ‘not wanting to be a burden’ or ‘worrying about what people might think’ are two reasons that stop women talking about mental health concerns.

Over the past couple of years the physical and mental health concerns women are experiencing during the perimenopause and menopause are being more openly discussed – including anxiety and depression.

This is, in part, thanks to high profile media campaigns from the likes of Davina McCall, Mariella Fostrup and Dr Louise Newson.

However, there is still simply not enough research being conducted, information available, or care plans in place to address the impact of hormonal changes on mental health.

The same is true for the perinatal and postnatal period. This needs to change if women are to receive the mental health care and support they need, and deserve.

The GP appointment can also be the start of a long journey. The harsh fact is that 1.8 million UK citizens are waiting for specialised NHS mental health treatment.

Sitting alongside wait lists and the increase in health issues, the NHS is also facing budget pressures. The stark reality is that mental health does not feature in the top list of priorities when it comes to spend.

Every woman in the UK should have access to well-designed and easily accessible mental health services and treatment regardless of who they are or where they live.

This is where a digital approach to the provision of early intervention and preventive mental health care is vital.

Harnessing the power of technology and the expertise of digital service providers is central to ensuring that the NHS can provide women with the mental health and wellbeing support they need.

Digital mental health services that are commissioned by the NHS can remove any barriers to accessing support. There are often no thresholds or criteria to meet, and a referral from a GP is not needed. Added to this, there’s no long waiting lists as the services can be assessed immediately.

They are also perfectly placed to address the perceived stigma associated with mental health as they offer confidentiality and anonymity.

For example, Qwell, delivered by Kooth, is anonymous by default – no IP addresses are collected and women wanting to register to access the service do not need to provide personal, identifiable information. This means that it is a welcoming place to seek non-judgemental professional help for any mental health concerns.

There’s no quick fix, or a ‘one-size fits all’ approach when it comes to mental health.To address the mental health and wellbeing needs of all women, choice and diversity in how they access mental health support must be embraced.

A digital approach can ensure that help and support is provided at the time that they need it – 24 hours a day, seven days a week, outside of the usual nine to five. As well as providing a wider choice of personalised mental health services that help promote, protect and improve the emotional wellbeing and mental health of women.

For example, offering a safe space for adults to access therapeutic activities and content including a peer support community, self-help articles, forums, and discussion boards – that are pre-moderated and approved by expert practitioners.

Or offer the ability to keep an online journal and monitor their wellbeing via an interactive goal tracker. Sitting alongside, there’s often the ability to access one-to-one sessions with experienced counsellors and wellbeing practitioners.

A digital approach to mental health can play, and has played, a critical role in supporting women on their terms at a time that suits them.

Not only does it take the pressure off the NHS and GPs, it can provide mental health services without waiting lists and with anonymity.

For too long, mental health support services for women have been fragmented and often hard to access.

What women need is personalised, early intervention and preventative mental health support that is available to improve wellbeing when, where and how it is needed. And that’s what digital provides.

 

Kate is the COO and board director of Kooth Digital Health, the UK’s largest digital mental healthcare provider, accredited by the BACP. She is an advisor and investor in health tech start-ups and she is also a supervisory board member of the European Dental Group.