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17 Nov 2008 07:00
Ultrasis plc
October 17, 2008
Yorkshire and Humber Primary Care Trusts
Commission Beating the Blues
Ultrasis plc, the provider of interactive healthcare and associated services, is pleased to announce that 11 of the 14 Primary Care Trusts ("PCTs") in the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority (SHA) have now contracted to provide Beating the Blues ("BtB") to their patients suffering from mild and moderate depression.
The two-year contract will have an initial value in excess of £600,000.
Yorkshire and Humber becomes the fifth of the 10 SHA's in England to take advantage of the benefit of collaborative commissioning.
Nigel Brabbins, Ultrasis' Chief Executive, said: "With the support of the Yorkshire and Humber Procurement Hub and the local PCT commissioners we have managed to significantly increase the availability of Beating the Blues across the region and helped the PCTs to meet their obligations to provide NICE recommended treatments.
"Unfortunately, many people across the country are still being denied access to this proven treatment for depression, despite the Government's public pledge to deliver the NICE recommended treatment from April 2007.
"We have recently met with Department of Health officials to ask that they deliver on Ministers' promises by ensuring that Beating the Blues is available in every GP surgery and for everyone who needs it, therefore bringing to an end the current postcode lottery."
Ends
Editors Notes:
Ultrasis plc is a healthcare company with core expertise in health, psychology, software development and programme management. The Company delivers computerised healthcare products to the NHS, the corporate sector and other healthcare providers in the UK and internationally.
Ultrasis was the first company to offer computerised products based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and interactive multimedia, and is the world leader in this field. The products help people tackle stress, anxiety and depression, and a full spectrum of related chronic conditions.
Beating the Blues is an eight-week, web-based treatment programme for depression based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Following a rigorous examination by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), "Beating the Blues" was approved by NICE in February 2006 for use in the National Health Service.
On 28 March 2007 the Secretary of State for Health announced a framework agreement for the use of cCBT in the NHS and approved "Beating the Blues", saying: "Computer-based therapy for milder, but more common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety should be made available to any patients in England who could benefit from it from April 2007."
www.ultrasis.com
www.thewellnessshop.co.uk
For further information please contact:
Nigel Brabbins CEO E-Mail: ultrasis@ultrasis.com Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7566 3900 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7253 5313
Geoff Nash FinnCap Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7600 1658
John Webb Marshall Securities Joint Broker +44 (0) 207 490 3788
Karen White/Sarah Rice
JBP Public Relations
E-Mail: karen@jbp.co.uk, sarah@jbp.co.uk
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