A company based in Derry is helping the NHS tackle their waiting lists as the crisis across Northern Ireland continues to deepen.
Pneuma Healthcare - which has come out of Ulster University - is working with one of the largest health trusts in the UK to bring down mental healthcare waiting times while also providing local graduates with employment opportunities.
The birthchild of Ulster University’s Dr Colin Gorman, the health company conducts phone and video-conference low-intensity therapy sessions to treat patients.
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The company has been working with the Greater Manchester Health Trust to help them achieve their service.
Speaking about the new health offering, Dr Gorman said the service was "breathing new life" into mental health services. He said: "Not having access to the right support can have severe impacts on people’s lives – particularly within those first six weeks, and can lead to people feeling like they have no other option but to drop out of work or education, or even worse sometimes, as a result.
"The value of early intervention is that it stops this deterioration and helps people get back to normal life.
“At Pneuma Healthcare, we are breathing life back into mental health services and helping to reduce the time it takes for people to get the help they need."
Meanwhile, Cara McErlain, who graduated at Ulster University before gaining employment with the company, said:“I graduated from Ulster University in 2020 with a degree in Psychology and knew I wanted to stay in Northern Ireland but when I began looking for roles in my chosen field, I struggled to find graduate opportunities.
"Thankfully in May of this year, I saw an opportunity with Pneuma Healthcare and decided to take a chance and apply for a psychological well-being practitioner role which would allow me to develop my professional skills, build my experience while staying here."
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