Purpose: To increase awareness of and access to the Norfolk & Waveney Wellbeing Service (IAPT) for people experiencing mild to moderate ‘common’ mental health problems such as anxiety disorders and depression.

How does it work? Secondary care (Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust NSFT) data combined with our risk identification and stratification tool  data. This allows the identification of those meeting the criteria described. Patients are written to, advising them about the Wellbeing Service and how to self-refer. Those who do not respond are contacted with a phone call from the Health Improvement and Support Team.

Letters are sent in batches, in order to manage flow of referrals within IAPT capacity. You can read the letter here.

What is the cohort? Patients who have recently been prescribed anti-depressants and/or anti-anxiety medication by Primary Care and who have not yet accessed the Wellbeing service.

Outcomes: Over 1000 patients have accessed Wellbeing Treatment. This increased Practice referral rates by up to 35%, with relatively high proportion of referrals for deprived areas and older people (24%)