Injured insurance customers set to benefit from NHS digital tool for psychological treatment

News
13/09/2021

handl Group’s insurer-focused rehabilitation business, Corporé, has become the first company to provide the digital tool SilverCloud to the general insurance market.


SilverCloud is a digital mental health treatment platform which Corporé will use to manage the psychological impact on injured parties sustained as a result of accidents, including road traffic accidents. This includes anxiety, positive body image (e.g. following amputations) and travel phobia.


SilverCloud is already used extensively by the NHS, but according to Mark Stirrup, Managing Director of Corporé, for the first time it will become available in the personal injury market for insurance customers, and where appropriate will be offered as part of their rehabilitation plan following an accident.


He said:

“For all injuries, particularly serious ones, physical treatment has historically been the priority for rehabilitation services, but good quality psychological support, which SilverCloud delivers, enables a patient to recover quicker with a better overall clinical outcome."


Mark explained that Corporé acts as a representative for insurers. The team works with clinicians to prepare a rehabilitation plan for each injured party which is then approved and paid for by the insurer.


“Treatments may be either ‘supported’ with a clinician (such as a physiotherapist, nurse or occupational therapist) overseeing the whole process, or ‘unsupported’ for more minor psychological support.”

He noted:

“SilverCloud can be used as a replacement for, or in addition to, traditional treatments, or prescribed once physical treatment has concluded as a support mechanism.”

“Digital treatments such as SilverCloud are proven to increase injured parties’ engagement due to convenience of access (not appointment bound and can be accessed anywhere across multiple platforms), an increased sense of control and removal of the obstacle of accessing services due to stigma.”


He said that digital treatment has mushroomed during the pandemic as a result of increased demand, replacing face to face meetings, and it has been especially useful for treating psychological injuries which would otherwise have remained untreated.


SilverCloud joins a suite of digital tools used by Corporé, including Limbic (triage for psychological injury), Phio (triage for musculoskeletal injury – MSK) and Phio Engage (MSK treatment programme).


Mark commented:

“Corporé was the first to market in personal injury for MSK triage, the first to market for psychological triage and now through SilverCloud we are the first to offer injured people a digital psychological treatment. We believe that the application of ‘people plus technology’ in rehabilitation is fast becoming the norm for rehabilitation following injuries.”


An added advantage is that digital tools enable clinicians to easily collect and analyse patient data, both to measure their mental health condition and understand the effectiveness of treatment for individuals and for the whole cohort of patients using digital treatment tools.


“Data analytics will give us the opportunity to continuously improve the tool, and provide insurers and clinicians with granular detail on the extent of an injured party’s engagement, how specific injuries play out in terms of their impact on a customer’s mental health, and the time taken to fully recover.”

“All our case managers are now being trained in the use of SilverCloud and will assess whether to prescribe SilverCloud programmes based on the suitability of the injured party’s problem, and their capability, opportunity and motivation to use the approach.“

Mark said:

“Digital treatment tools for mental and physical injuries will soon become a standard way of helping injured people recover and get on with their lives and it’s great that we are now able to bring them to the insurance claims industry for the first time.”


Laura Jennings, Head of Partnerships at SilverCloud, commented:

“SilverCloud Health is committed to effective mental health care for all, and we are excited to support Corporé with their delivery of high quality services to provide on-demand, clinically validated care to patients who are experiencing mental health challenges. Our partnership exemplifies an innovative model for digital mental health, providing clinically-backed and evidenced services with Corporé, and enabling mental health care for as many people as possible.

Corporé’s clients can benefit from coaching through their use of SilverCloud, with a qualified member of the Corporé Team, providing tailored guidance and motivational input, based on individual needs and feedback. SilverCloud can also be used in-between face-to-face therapy sessions, as part of Corporé’s holistic service.