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Originally developed by the Centre for Research on Eating Disorders at Oxford (CREDO), Digital CBTe is the digital programme-led version of Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and is now delivered by Credo Therapies.
NHS Pilot Studies and Independent Evaluation
Digital CBTe was piloted in two NHS Trusts: Kent and Medway and Dorset. These pilots were independently evaluated by Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex and Health Innovation Wessex, with support from CREDO, and funded by NHS England and the Office for Life Sciences. They found:
- Patients who completed the programme reported statistically and clinically significant reductions in binge eating.
- The programme also reduced the impact of eating disorders on daily life and depressive symptoms.
These findings were consistent across both pilot sites, despite differences in delivery:
- In Kent and Medway, patients received guided support sessions alongside the programme.
- In Dorset, patients completed the programme independently without additional guidance.
Supporting Evidence from Oxford-Led Research
An earlier pilot study, published in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health, also confirmed the programme’s effectiveness. Led by the CREDO team at the University of Oxford, and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and the NIHR Oxford and Thames Valley Applied Research Collaboration, this study recruited participants via the national eating disorders charity BEAT.
Among the 55 participants who completed the full programme and end-of-programme assessment:
- Binge eating episodes decreased significantly.
- Other eating disorder features and related life impairment also improved.
- These improvements were maintained at six-month follow-up.
Read the full story on the Department of Psychiatry website.