Vita Health Group named as preferred bidder of NHS Talking Therapies service in Derby and Derbyshire

Vita Health Group has been selected as the preferred bidder to provide NHS Talking Therapies services in Derby and Derbyshire, from 1 July 2025.

The decision follows an open and robust procurement process led by NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board.

NHS Talking Therapies is a psychological therapy service that is provided free of charge as an NHS service to people who refer themselves, or who are referred by another healthcare professional.

Therapies can include one to one counselling, group approaches, couples therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and self-help support.

The type of therapy services and the way this is provided are set out in a standard specification from NHS England.

NHS Talking Therapies is designed to treat mental health issues or conditions, such as depression, anxiety, phobias and trauma.

Around 20,000 people per year access NHS Talking Therapies in Derby and Derbyshire.

The service is currently provided by four contracted organisations and people choose which one they would like to access.

Under the new arrangement, subject to contract, Vita Health Group will be “lead provider”, with a three year initial contract, beginning on 1 July 2025.

More than 200 staff currently work for the current four providers – Trent PTS, Vita Health Group, Everyturn and Talking Mental Health Derbyshire.

The staff who currently work for Trent PTS and Talking Mental Health Derbyshire are now anticipated to transfer their employment to Vita Health Group, subject to negotiation between those organisations and in line with individual employee wishes. Under Vita Health Group’s proposals Everyturn would be a sub-contractor, so its staff would therefore remain with their current employer.

Michelle Arrowsmith, Chief Strategy and Delivery Officer, NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, said: “NHS Talking Therapies provide a vital service to thousands of people each year in Derby and Derbyshire.

“They support people to recover from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and the impact of trauma or bereavement.

“Vita Health Group will now provide this service under this new contract, building on the great work done over the past five years by the current providers Trent PTS, Everyturn, Talking Mental Health Derbyshire and Vita Health Group.

“The service will remain an NHS service, free at the point of need.

“We will work with Vita Health Group and with local people and partner organisations to ensure the quality of the service remains high and that Vita Health Group provides the support people need, when they need it.

“We would like to thank the existing providers for all their support in ensuring a smooth transition for people accessing the service over to the new contract arrangements.”

Vita Health Group is one of the largest providers of NHS Talking Therapies in the country, including locally in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

News of the contract award has been communicated to existing providers today and they are informing their staff. Vita Health Group will now begin work to prepare to take over the contract from 1 July 2025.