Tools and resources for mental health and wellbeing can be found on:

• Thrive LDN
• Good Thinking – NHS approved wellbeing service
• Public Health England: Help Us Help You campaign
• Every Mind Matters
• Age UK | The UK’s leading charity helping every older person who needs us

More tools and resources are available in the Digital inclusion page.

Different services have been involved with various marketing approaches since the pandemic. We have put together some examples of how services have used different media channels and routes to market their services and raise awareness. For example, websites, webinars, chat platform, social media marketing (e.g. Facebook / Nextdoor/ Instagram).

IAPT examples

Bedfordshire – At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic they developed a webinar which was based around learning how CBT can help amidst the pandemic. It provides updates on the most recent government guidance, psychoeducation and introduces some brief CBT strategies which viewers could take away to implement. The service is working collaboration with the Milton Keynes and Luton IAPT services, and have offered around 15 webinars which can be accessed here.

NELFT – Have an online staff chat platform [Case study], and run various webinars via Zoom professional. All webinars are recorded and saved in the online library – the link can be sent out to people on request. Wellbeing classes are provided, including yoga, HIIT, stretching and resilience – 100 people per week attend Social media at NELFT | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust. There is an ethnic minority reflection group led by Black or Asian clinicians.

Slough – The IAPT team worked with their Communications team to develop information packs to hand out to GPs and the general public. The information pack was translated into Urdu, Somali, Polish and Gujarati. Communications team members were invited to monthly IAPT team meetings to discuss outreach work. They also worked to develop communications that was sent out to local organisations and businesses e.g. pharmacies. The service used local communication channels including promotion on ethnic minorities local radio stations – with adverts run in Hindi. The IAPT team works with faith organisations to include IAPT events in their calendars. [See link Case study]

Harrow IAPT – created its own Facebook page to send out information to the local populations. A PWP manages the page and uses this platform and Instagram to promote the service to the Harrow catchment area. They have achieved 40,000 hits over a fortnight, and it has worked well for connecting with GPs.

Bromley

Made a film about the local IAPT service, which was screened at local cinemas when the advertisements were shown. They have advertised in and on buses. The Communications team maintain a social medica campaign, including leaflets and videos. They have developed 60 second videos of staff talking about what is offered, as well as posters.

Have added lots of resources to the Bromley IAPT website, including links to support that’s available. They are considering producing their own resources, and recording webinars of their ‘building resilience’ campaign.

Kensington & Chelsea: Did some webinars for Covid, e.g. on managing anxiety, or for older people. Initially they were positively received and accessible, however there has been a drop off in demand.

Hillingdon: During the first lockdown, the team launched the ‘You are not alone’ campaign, producing posters and leaflets. This messaging was also adopted by the Hillingdon Integrated Care Partnership (ICP). The campaign re-started in January 2021 and will run in bus shelters. The content has been adapted to send to care homes, Covid Hubs and to schools to support parents and teachers. The service worked with the CNWL Communications team to promote their service via social media. The team are planning to engage an external communications agency to help support the creation of a single landing page for the ICS around Covid and post-Covid. Please see example posters and leaflets:

Hillingdon Poster – You are not alone Partnership Public

Hillingdon Poster – You are not alone – keyworkers Workstream 

Hillingdon Poster – You are not alone – Medical

Newham: Use a variety of digital channels and different types of interventions for their community, for example live workshops and pre-recorded webinars. The service has updated its website to make the language clearer and easier to understand and improved the accessibility of the information on it. The service has also set up a YouTube channel, which has increased its reach.

Tower Hamlets: Use Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channels. East London Foundation Trust’s (ELFT) IAPT services use the ELFT communications department and use Councils for publicising services. Operational managers within ELFT IAPT services are responsible for publicity and online marketing. The service links into the local and national public health campaigns. They also ran coping with Covid-19 webinars which people didn’t have to wait to access.

County Durham – Perinatal service:  Has moved to an online rolling group for new mums due to Covid, and attendance has improved compared to the face-to-face sessions. It runs over 6 weeks. Link to YouTube video played at the start of sessions can be accessed here.