Depression and anxiety are significant problems for older adults and for those with chronic health problems.1 Social isolation and loneliness are significant risk factors for depression,2 and are particularly relevant to the older adult population in the UK.3,4 The COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures have restricted physical access of many to their social networks,5 and to face-to-face consultations. This is likely to have disproportionately affected the mental health of older adults and those with chronic health problems.6
For depression and anxiety with mild–moderate functional impairment, psychoeducation and psychological therapies are recommended as first-line therapeutic options by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) evidence-based guidelines under distinct stepped-care approaches.7,8 The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service was launched across England in 2008 in response to demand for more access to evidence-based psychoeducation and psychological therapies in the NHS.9 There have been different initiatives to increase access to psychological therapies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.10 Recent national datasets for England indicate that >87% of patients who begin treatment with IAPT wait no longer than 6 weeks from their referral.11 However, there are regional variations, and waiting times for certain treatments are likely to be longer. Older adults have equal success rates with therapy compared with the …