Mental health services continue to face increasing demand across the NHS. As healthcare providers explore new ways to improve access to support, digital mental health technologies are becoming an increasingly important part of the conversation.

Digital mental health technologies include online therapy programmes, symptom monitoring tools, virtual reality treatments and digital assessment platforms. Some are already being used within NHS services, while others are undergoing evaluation by NICE and other healthcare organisations.

Recent research has highlighted the potential benefits of these technologies. Digital tools may help improve access to support, provide additional options for patients and offer greater flexibility in how care is delivered (Hopkin et al., 2025). For some people, digital interventions may complement existing services and help them engage with support earlier in their healthcare journey.

At the same time, healthcare organisations are keen to ensure that any technology used within NHS services is safe, effective and supported by appropriate evidence. NICE recently reviewed a range of digital mental health technologies and found that several showed promise in supporting conditions such as anxiety, depression, insomnia and psychosis. The review also identified areas where further research is needed before wider adoption can take place (Hopkin et al., 2026).

It is important to recognise that digital technologies are not intended to replace healthcare professionals. Instead, they are likely to become one component of a broader system of care that includes GPs, mental health practitioners, community services and self management support.

As research and evaluation continue, digital mental health technologies may play an increasingly important role in helping patients access timely support while maintaining the high standards of safety and quality expected within the NHS.

At Horizon Healthcare, we continue to monitor developments in digital healthcare and mental health services to ensure our patients remain informed about emerging evidence based approaches to care.

References

Hopkin, G., Branson, R., Campbell, P., Coole, H., Cooper, S., Edelmann, F., Gatera, G., Morgan, J., & Salmon, M. (2025). Building robust, proportionate, and timely approaches to regulation and evaluation of digital mental health technologies. The Lancet Digital Health, 7(1), e89–e93. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00215-2

Hopkin, G., Coole, H., Edelmann, F., Powell, J., Salmon, M., & Cooper, S. (2026). Strength of evidence to support decision making on the use of digital mental health technologies in NICE evaluations: Cross sectional analysis of studies. JMIR Mental Health, 13, e85635. https://doi.org/10.2196/85635