Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia.

In its Clinical Knowledge Summary on insomnia, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggests that clinicians can offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia if sleep hygiene measures fail, daytime impairment is severe, causing significant distress, and the insomnia is not likely to resolve soon. It is for local integrated care boards to decide what treatments and support for insomnia are offered to their local populations. Further information on NICE’s Clinical Knowledge Summary on insomnia is available at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/insomnia/

In addition, NHS Talking Therapies services for anxiety and depression offer low-intensity therapy, including CBT, which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer, to NHS Talking Therapies via the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/

Individuals can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/

NICE has also agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver CBT interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.