A HEALTH trust will spearheading the development of digital technology in mental healthcare thanks to £5m funding boost.

Oxford Health NHS Foundation trust has been named as a Global Digital Exemplar for its use of technology to care for those who use mental health services.

The Mental Health Global Digital Exemplars will share learning and practice locally, nationally and internationally.

The trust is already paving the way in the use of digital technology in the NHS by offering patients remote consultations using video conferencing, having electronic notes available from an iPad, signposting patients to online wellbeing and mental health therapies and using apps such as ‘True Colours’ to support patients’ self-management and recovery.

Chief executive of the trust Stuart Bell said: “We are already leading the way with digital health innovation and we’re looking forward to developing the ways we can use technology to improve patients’ experience and care even further.”