For our latest Team Spotlight interview, we spoke to Arif Hussain, Customer Success Manager at ieso.
Arif told us about his role, some of his current projects, and how he has seen digital mental health evolve during his time in the industry.
Hi Arif. Can you tell us about your career background and your role at ieso?
I’ve held various marketing, sales and project management roles over the past 9 years in the healthcare sector with product categories spanning from orthopaedic medical devices to infant nutrition. During the pandemic, the impact of lockdown on the nation’s mental health became a hot topic and my desire to play a part in helping people get better grew from there. This is partly what led me to my current role as a Customer Success Manager at ieso in the Commercial Team.
As a Customer Service Manager, I am responsible for mobilising and servicing our existing NHS contracts where we are sub-contracted by Mental Health Trusts and commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs). As part of my role, I explore opportunities for ieso to add value and contribute to the development of the service offered by our NHS partners. I do this with ongoing support from my talented colleagues in the Customer Operations, Clinical, Marketing and Data team. Together we aim to deliver the best experience possible for our patients and NHS clients. Alongside this, the Commercial team is focused on expanding our online typed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offering to NHS Talking Therapies services beyond where we are currently contracted. We have a strong track record of providing Talking Therapies services with additional CBT capacity to help meet access targets and reduce their waitlist without compromising on patient outcomes.
What projects are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently part of a cross-functional Diversity and Inclusion project team at ieso, tasked with increasing the recruitment of research participants from racially, ethnically and culturally diverse communities. The project team is focused on hearing views of those who are typically under-represented within mental health through PPI workshops. This includes but is not limited to men and ethnic minorities.
More generally, ieso are trying to support our NHS partners in addressing inequalities in mental health provision. To help achieve this, I have engaged with representatives from both charities, such as Age UK, and groups, such as Community Action Sutton, which support and work with seldom-heard communities. We know that improving access to talking therapies amongst these groups is a long-term endeavour that involves building trust, removing social barriers, and understanding the most prevalent issues affecting each demographic.
How has the provision of digital mental health changed in the UK during your time at ieso?
Over the past couple of years, I’ve seen a marked rise in the adoption of digital from Talking Therapies services across the country, mostly driven by the COVID pandemic. Speaking to our NHS clients, some have estimated upwards of 70-80% of patients are choosing to have therapy online as opposed to in person. There is also a rising prevalence of digital e-triage tools at the front door powered by AI which is enabling people to access therapy more quickly and easily than before.
Another significant development is the increasing number of areas where adults with anxiety and depression can directly self-refer themselves to a digital Talking Therapies service like ieso. This avoids the need to go through their GP in the first instance. Self-referring to a digital therapy provider is particularly beneficial for those living in the most remote parts of the UK such as the Western Isles, and/or for those who find it difficult to leave their home.
If you work for an NHS Talking Therapies service and you’d like to learn how ieso can easily integrate with your service to support current waiting times and provide additional treatment capacity, click here: www.iesogroup.com/wait
