Doctor with futuristic touch screen

Digital Therapies


In 2022 NHS mental healthcare in England has a waiting list of 1.6 million people. A further eight million people with psychiatric disorders are unable to access waiting lists because their conditions are not deemed sufficiently severe.

Closing this gap is an urgent priority and digital therapies have a vital role to play in this.

Digital therapies are software-based therapies that can be offered as blended or standalone therapies, replacing time-intensive treatments. They can enhance existing therapeutic methods and they also help standardise the delivery of interventions. 

Our theme in digital therapies is accelerating the development, precision of, and implementation of evidence-based novel digital therapeutics to treat mental health conditions and enhance well-being in people with long term conditions It will advance and trial innovative digital therapies that are based on theory and testing mechanisms of action, whilst accelerating the pace of development and impact by building industry partnerships.

We aim to maximise patient benefit via a ‘living lab’ that will speed up co-designed development of digital therapies from proof-of-concept, early-stage trials to digital enhancements, and regulatory approval. 

Our theme also plans to maximise later effectiveness and uptake. This will be done through reducing the digital divide by working alongside under-represented groups and developing and enhancing products to ensure they are acceptable to a diverse range of users.   

Professor Rona Moss-Morris

Theme Lead

Professor of Psychology as Applied to Medicine; Head of the Department of Psychology, King's IoPPN
Professor Colette Hirsch

Deputy Theme Lead

Professor of Cognitive and Clinical Psychology, King's IoPPN; Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist, South London and Maudsley
Research and news

Digital Therapies

Read about our latest research and news stories in this theme.

Stories of Research

Discover how our research is making a difference to people’s lives, today and tomorrow.

Stories of Research

Online CBT for irritable bowel syndrome

Individualised cognitive behavioural therapy approach is one of only a few digital therapies approved by NICE.
Stories of Research

Treating distress in chronic conditions

Using digital therapy to address distress caused by long-term physical health conditions.
Stories of Research

App to help the sleep of children with epilepsy

The CASTLE Online Sleep Intervention is an inclusive and personalised app designed by children and parents.
Stories of Research

Digital approach to reduce anxiety and depression

Learning Effective New Strategies (LENS) is a digital therapy which tackles intepretation bias.