Improved Access to Talking Therapies for West London Teens

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Service was previously limited to adults

A “much-needed extension” of referral routes for young people. Picture: MIND

October 27, 2025

Young people aged 16 to 17 across West London now have improved access to mental health support following the expansion of NHS Talking Therapies, a service previously limited to adults. The initiative, launched by West London NHS Trust, enables direct referrals from GPs and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Talking Therapies centres in Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Hounslow.

Talking Therapies, originally established in 2008 under the name Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), offers a range of evidence-based treatments for common mental health conditions. Until recently, the service was only available to individuals aged 18 and over, leaving younger teens reliant on CAMHS for support with issues such as anxiety and depression.

The decision to lower the minimum age has already led to over 200 GP referrals in 2025, with Ealing among the latest boroughs to implement the change. Health professionals say the move addresses a longstanding gap in provision, often described by service users as a “cliff edge” between child and adult mental health services.

Dr Ruth Dennis, Professional Lead for NHS Talking Therapies at West London NHS Trust, said the expansion offers a “much-needed extension” of referral routes for young people. “GPs are often the first point of contact for mental health concerns, and this change means they can now directly refer 16–17-year-olds to Talking Therapies,” she said.

Keyur Joshi, Associate Director for CAMHS, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the initiative. “It’s great to see adult services continuing to build their confidence and capacity to work with this age group,” he said. “We hope that this will help prevent young people from falling through the gaps between services.”

Youth Ambassador Curtis Adjei welcomed the change, saying it would help young people access care within their own communities and ease the transition from CAMHS to adult services.

National figures from early 2025 show that over 511,000 young people in England were engaged with children and young people’s mental health services, underscoring the scale of demand. The expansion of Talking Therapies in West London is seen as a step toward meeting that need and supporting teens during a critical period of personal development.

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