Talking therapy support

In preparation for EIBSS transferring to the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), no further talking therapy applications will be accepted after 30 October 2026.

Any support approved through EIBSS must be used by 31 December 2026, as EIBSS-funded talking therapy cannot continue beyond this date.

Infected Blood Psychological Service

NHS England has now officially launched the new Infected Blood Psychological Service (BPS) as of 10 June 2025. This national service has been set up specifically to support people who were infected or affected by contaminated blood.

You can access the service by asking your GP for a referral or by referring yourself. To do this, call 0300 131 0444 or visit their website: Infected Blood Psychological Service.

Being infected with hepatitis C or HIV from blood or blood products may have affected you and your family members in different ways. This may include having an impact on your psychological wellbeing or mental health.

Support is available through talking therapies, also known as psychological therapies, and this page provides information on how you can access this.

There are two options available to access talking therapies:

NHS talking therapies.
The England Infected Blood Support Scheme (EIBSS) – counselling and talking therapy funding.

Funding for this support is available only to individuals who are registered on EIBSS and have not yet been assessed by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).

NHS talking therapies

NHS talking therapies, or psychological therapies, are effective and confidential treatments delivered by fully trained and accredited practitioners. All forms of talking therapy involve working with a practitioner, who can help you speak about your situation and find ways to manage.

There are a number of NHS services who can provide you with support, and help you to better manage conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and long-term health conditions.

Find out more about NHS talking therapies

Most talking therapies are provided through Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. A GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself directly to an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT) without a referral from a GP.

Find an NHS psychological therapies service (IAPT)

What happens when you refer yourself?

Someone from your local IAPT service will get in touch, usually within a few weeks.
They'll ask for more details about the problems you're having. This is known as an assessment.
If the service thinks they can help you, they may recommend a therapy for you or suggest other forms of help from the service or elsewhere. This is based on your symptoms and how severe they are.
Waiting times for your first session of therapy vary. The service will tell you what to expect.

There are many different types of talking therapies and they all involve working with a trained therapist. For some problems and conditions, one type of talking therapy may be better than another.

You may wish to know more about talking therapies before deciding how to find help.

What type of talking therapy would be best for me?

Different talking therapies are designed to help people with different types of conditions.

Making a decision by having an assessment

The best way to understand if talking therapy could help you is to review this with a suitably qualified practitioner as part of an assessment of your needs. You can also discuss what type of talking therapy would suit you. This can then lead to a shared decision about a way forward.

Some people have this sort of assessment through an NHS talking therapies service. You can refer yourself to one of these services. You don't need to go through your GP. You can visit the NHS website to find your local NHS talking therapies service.

Other people may have this sort of assessment through another part of the NHS mental health service, or from an independent practitioner or therapist. It is good to find a practitioner who can help you decide between a number of choices, not just recommend the therapy that they provide.

Considering the evidence

When deciding which type of talking therapy would be best for you, it is important to bear in mind which therapies have the best evidence of success for different types of conditions. You can then look for a practitioner who is fully qualified and registered/accredited in one of those approaches.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance around the treatments of choice for some conditions.

The following conditions are listed with the NICE recommended treatments.

Depression:

Guided self-help based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles.
Cognitive behavioural therapy.
Interpersonal therapy.
Couple therapy.
Brief psychodynamic therapy.
Counselling for depression.

Anxiety disorders which can include, panic disorder, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, and generalised anxiety disorder:

Guided self-help based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles. This is not advised for social anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cognitive behavioural therapy.

Post-traumatic stress disorder:

Cognitive behavioural therapy.
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EDMR).

In practice, individuals may experience conditions or issues for which there is no specific NICE guidance. In these cases, it is recommended that you ask a practitioner what evidence there is for the effectiveness of different treatment options. You can then take this into account when making a decision.

A good relationship with the therapist is really important

In all psychological therapy, the relationship between you and the therapist is important. You need to feel confident that you can work well together and that they have understood the issues you are facing. They should also be warm and empathetic, and consider your preferences for treatment.

Factors to consider

You might want to think about the following factors to help you choose the right practitioner for you:

The relationship with the practitioner or therapist.
The specific type of therapy and evidence that this could help you.
The qualifications and experience of the practitioner to deliver this therapy.
How and where the therapy is delivered – in person or remotely.
Clarity around what is being offered – frequency and duration.

Additional useful links

NHS talking therapies - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Find out more about the types of talking therapies and counselling available on the NHS.

How to find a therapist - Mind

What is CBT? (babcp.com)

How to choose a psychotherapist | UKCP (psychotherapy.org.uk)

Information about counselling (bacp.co.uk)

What if you are unable to access NHS talking therapies?

Once you've considered what's best for your situation, you might feel that NHS talking therapies are not suitable for you, or they are unable to help. You might prefer to access support for your mental health from elsewhere.

The EIBSS can offer funding to access counselling and talking therapies with a private therapist of your choice.