Oxford VR’s automated virtual reality therapy has been featured in the latest NHSX Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) blueprint details.

Its programme has been integrated into NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services since April last year.

The firm, which is a spinout from Oxford University’s department of psychiatry, played an instrumental role in creating the NHSX GDE blueprint ‘Virtual reality as a psychological tool’ which will help other NHS trusts to integrate and deliver VR therapy as part of building out their digital capabilities, to improve mental healthcare services for patients. 

Included in the blueprint are details of the rollout process and key artefacts such as a standard operating procedure, a digital strategy and a data sharing template.

The blueprint is available on the Future NHSX Collaboration Platform.

WHY IT MATTERS

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the urgency of building capacity in mental healthcare to ensure trusts and providers can adequately meet acute demands for treatment and the longer-term mental health issues arising from this crisis. 

Oxford VR automated therapy builds on two decades of research by Daniel Freeman, professor of clinical psychology and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) research professor at Oxford University, investigating virtual reality’s potential to create a powerful new psychological treatment.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Oxford VR’s mental health treatment uses immersive technology and evidence-based science to improve patient outcomes and increase capacity.

As well as collaborating with the NHS, it works with private healthcare providers in the UK such as Oasis Talk and charitable organisations including St Andrew's Hospital trust.

The firm recently announced a £10 million ($12.9m) in a Series A funding round led by Optum Ventures, with support from Luminous Ventures - a record for virtual reality therapy investment in Europe.

It also recently launched a programme to help people with social anxiety by immersing them in virtual social situations, such as a grocery store or a bus ride.

Other players in the VR space include London-based FundamentalVR, which recently announced the expansion of its educational platform Fundamental Surgery to help train surgeons. Also British startup Touch Surgery reportedly borrowed $70 million earlier this year to fund its training augmented reality technology for doctors

ON THE RECORD

Barnaby Perks, founding CEO of Oxford VR said: “We are immensely proud that Oxford VR’s automated therapy is exemplified in the latest NHSX DGE Blueprint publication. In these unprecedented times for mental healthcare, digital transformation will be central to building capacity. 

“This is an important Blueprint that NHS Trusts can turn to, for an evidence-based and highly scalable intervention, that is making a real-world impact and is based on years of rigorous research. "